


Miracles

by Thicc_eyebrows



Category: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Genre: Anxiety, Autism, BDSM mentioned, Canon Compliant, Canon Dialogue, Comedy, Cussing, Drinking, Drug Use, Eventual Romance, F/M, Falling In Love, Female Protagonist, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, I TRY to proofread, Implied Sexual Content, Light Angst, M/M, MC has a name and personality, Murder, Non-Graphic Violence, Original Character(s), POV First Person, Pansexual Character, Polyamorous Character, Polyamory, Sexuality, Slow Build, Slow Burn, This story is basically the cannon story but with extra spice
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:42:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 44
Words: 190,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24871735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thicc_eyebrows/pseuds/Thicc_eyebrows
Summary: Do you believe in miracles? Claudia didn't. In fact, she was determined that nothing in life could ever be considered a miracle. Perhaps due to a mix of her logical nature and autism, she had determined that everything could be logically explained. However, after being thrust into a strange world filled with demons and magic, the pessimistic and anxious girl starts to reconsider her views. Going from wanting to constantly escape the Devildom to falling in love with multiple hot demons and getting into a whole lot of trouble, Claudia gets more than what she signed up for... a lot more.-This story is basically Obey Me but MC has a personality and background; they're not a doormat anymore. While I was playing OM I kept thinking of how I could make it so much better, so I did. This is more than just me copy and pasting elements of the game into a written format. This is the game will new elements that flesh everything out. There are several chapters that take place outside of the story but add to the main plot. I know this isn't the most original idea, but I'm proud of what it has become and I hope you enjoy it.-Updates are every Saturday!
Relationships: Asmodeus (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s), Beelzebub/Belphegor (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s), Diavolo/Lucifer (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s), Leviathan (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s), Mammon (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s), Satan (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 38
Kudos: 132





	1. Chapter 1: Do Demons Believe in Miracles?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A human with a unique perspective on life is summoned to the realm of demons: the Devildom! Will this strange accept her role that will forever change the fate of demons and humans? Or will she try to run away from it all? Welcome to my story, Miracles, about a pessimistic, naive, and autistic girl that has her life changed by the RAD exchange program. Many events that take place happen in canon but there will be many things that happen outside of the main story. If you find original characters and heavy dialog uninteresting, then this is not the story for you, oops.

What is a miracle? 

I used to ask myself that question sometimes when I felt especially sentimental in the dark of night, stuck between consciousness and the lifeless state of slumber. No matter how many times that question slipped into my mind, I could never come up with an answer. I frowned upon the idea of religious miracles, partly due to not being religious myself and partly because most “religious miracles” were over the top illusions meant to trick desperate and willing people into following a twisted ideology. Logically, I assumed miracles didn’t exist at all. After all, everything had an order in life and could easily be explained with science and facts- and if there wasn’t an answer, it was because it hadn’t been discovered yet. So were miracles just some false promise that the human brain clung to? The emotional side of me didn’t want that to be all miracles were. I wanted life to be romantic and beautiful; I wanted miracles to be real and in a way, I was a miracle myself. 

When I was born I weighed three pounds. Two months premature and coming out kicking and screaming, I could almost be considered a miracle. It was sixty days until I could leave the hospital and be embraced happily in my mother’s arms. I got back just in time for Thanksgiving celebrations and was engulfed with admiration and love from my family. As the only child, a very delicate one at that, I was precious. However, as that once small and precious child, the experience wasn’t a miracle to me: it was just life. I was lucky. I was lucky that I wasn’t a miscarriage and I was lucky that I didn’t suffer from extreme health complications. 

Lucky does not equal a miracle. A miracle is viewed as the impossible and it wasn’t impossible when I, a happy and calm baby who lived within the routine nature of domestication, became a roaring and violent monster when thrust outside of that routine. All my mother wanted to do was take me to go get professional photographs done. The last thing she expected to see was me having an uncontrollable panic attack in front of the camera as I screamed and kicked just as much as I did when I was born. I was the child that smiled and giggled at life and I was a child that was as calm as a gentle breeze. My behavior was unusual, unusual enough for my mother to question the state of her daughter. 

My parents brought up the incident the next time they brought me to the doctor. The doctor directed us to a child psychiatrist. It was within the psychiatrist’s office that my parents discovered that I was not like other babies. PDD-NOS, otherwise known as Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified, is a type of autism and that was the label given to me. My parents' precious and weak baby was now even more fragile. An unknown and foreign experience, my parents were thrust into the territory and conflicts that came with an autistic child. At one point, I completely devolved from my language skills and became nonverbal. For years, my mother nurtured me to the best of her abilities helping me with motor, social, and speaking skills. I was an intelligent child, but because of the unique workings of my brain, by the time I entered school, teachers pushed me into extra intermediate classes. 

I also struggled to make friends due to my social unawareness but at that time I, of course, was not aware of my problem. It wasn’t until around my teens that I understood that I had autism and that I was a little different. Years of working with my mother on basic and needed skills had shaped me into a much different person, and besides a few of my numerous quirks here and there, I could masquerade myself as a functioning and “average” person. This by no means meant that I was cured in any state or form and it did not mean there had been something previously wrong with me, but by the time I hit my freshman year of high school, I was rather comfortable within my skin. Now for many, they view my “cured” status as a miracle. For others to be flabbergasted and be in awe at my current state when I once explain my previous state made me… mad. My hard work- my mother’s hard work was not something magical that just happened with the snap of a hand. It wasn’t like, poof, “Look, you aren’t retarded anymore, congrats,” but instead a process full of love and care. 

I think this was yet another reason I struggled to find the definition of a miracle. Miracles dismiss hard work and miracles only tell half of the story. At least, this was my mindset until one night, the August before my senior year of high school, I experienced a dream that would forever change my life and become my new reality. That experience finally answered my question: What is a miracle? 

_Where am I…?_ I managed to ask myself in between the pounding waves of pain that hit my head as my blurry vision started to clear up. I slowly stood up, pushing my hands off of the cool stone flooring beneath me, and stood up straight, my hands tensing from the texture. I quickly wiped my hands on my skirt. I stared with wide eyes as I observed my surroundings. I was in a dark and gothic looking hall that must be a courtroom, however, it was unlike any courtroom that I have ever laid my eyes on. The only lighting in the room was coming from the various candelabras that were adorned with candles and the stretching windows that allowed moonlight to harbor itself inside. I drew my attention towards the several men looking my way and I felt the anxiety build in my chest. The man in the seat of the chief judge's speaks before I even have a chance to clear my confusion. 

“Welcome to the Devildom, Claudia,” He crossed his arms with a relaxed smile. He was a tall man in a formal red outfit that reminds me of a Victorian military uniform. He noticed my dumbfounded state and frowned with concern. “...Oh, pardon me. Feeling a bit shocked, are we?” His frown disappeared as soon as it appeared. “Well, that’s understandable. You’ve only just arrived, after all! As a human, it will probably take a little while for you to adjust to things here in the Devildom.” 

“Excuse me?” I finally choked out, my voice a little high and almost dripping with sassy. I took a deep breath as I fiddled with my braided hair nervously before speaking again. “The Devildom…?” I raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

“Yes, exactly, the Devildom. I see that you catch on quickly. Excellent,” he replied, not making me feel any better. “I suppose I should start by introducing myself. My name is Diavolo. I am the ruler of all demons, and all here know of me.” I almost laughed in disbelief but I held it in, almost choking on my breath. “And someday soon, I will be crowned king of the Devildom,” he explained himself seriously. “This is the Royal Academy of Diavolo, though we just call it RAD.” 

_Well, I’m sure having a RAD time right now, aren’t I?_ I bitterly think to myself, the situation still not clear to me. My headache only got worse from the stress and annoyance that I felt. “You’re standing inside the assembly hall, the very heart of RAD. This is where we officers of the student council hold our meetings and conduct our business. I’m the president of said council.” I finally blurted out my frustration as soon as “this Diavolo character” finished speaking. 

“Why am I here?” I demanded sharply with a faint undertone of desperation. “Why-” 

“I will explain everything to you.” My attention is turned to the man who spoke up. I laid my eyes on a pale and tall man with raven hair and eyes as dark as coal. He instantly gave me a mature and mysterious vibe. 

“Claudia,” Diavolo said with a little excitement as if he were introducing two of his closest friends to each other. “This is Lucifer. He is a demon and the Avatar of Pride.” I blinked several times, making sure I heard him correctly. “He is also the vice president of the student council and my right-hand man… and not just in title, I assure you.” He playfully laughed as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “Beyond that, he’s also my most trusted friend.” Lucifer deeply sighed much like I sighed whenever chastising my friends for doing something ridiculous.

“Flattery will get you nowhere, Diavolo.” Lucifer then turned his attention towards me wearing a reserved smile. “Speaking on behalf of the entire student body at this great and storied school of ours, I offer you a most heartfelt welcome, Claudia.” I felt my anxiety lessen with their kindness but I stood on guard as I narrowed my eyes and took a step forward. 

“Answer my question.” I knew that I couldn’t bombard them with questions due to my panic. It would make me look weak and if I was in a dangerous hostage situation I needed to pretend that I was calm. 

“Interesting,” a smirk played at Lucifer’s lips and I could feel my stomach drop. “This one is quite different from Solomon.” His face once again became neutral as he answered my question. “Diavolo believes that we demons should start strengthening our relationship with both the human world and the Celestial Realm. As a first step toward this goal, we’ve decided to institute an exchange program.” 

_Oh goodie, so not only is there a demon world, but there is also a world for angels. Where are the cameras? When is some prick going to come out and yell “aha, got em! You just got pranked!”_ I sighed at my bitter thoughts. 

“We’ve sent two of our students to the human world and two to the Celestial Realm. And we’re welcoming four students to our school: two from your world and two from the Celestial Realm. So, I take it you’ve probably put two and two together at this point, right?” Lucifer nodded at me as he asked. I involuntarily took two steps back in panic and bumped into my suitcase which almost went crashing down. 

_No shit I’ve put it together- but what- when did I pack my suitcase?_ The chaos of my mind only intensified. I looked back up to hear Lucifer’s next words. 

“You’ve been chosen from among the people of the human world to participate in this program of ours. You are our newest exchange student.” 

‘Well damn,” I let out a pained laugh as I looked around in shock thinking that this was getting rather serious for a joke. Lucifer seemed to ignore my state as he continued as a teacher lecturing. 

“Your period of stay is one year. You will have to work on the tasks that you will receive from RAD. After one year, you will write a paper about your exchange here in the Devildom.” 

“Hey, hey, hey, hey!” I yelled, my shock breaking down any of my reserved nature. “Tasks, excuse me? Just what exactly is going on here, I did not agree-” Lucifer frowned as he interrupted me, seeming to only care about my objection to the “tasks.” 

“You are here as an exchange student. Did you really expect to spend your time here fooling around?” I glared with all of my anger behind my honey eyes. “Don’t glare at me like that-” He once again seemed amused as he slightly flipped his hair back- “It’s not like I will abandon you all by yourself here in the Devildom. You need someone to look after you, and I think that someone should be my brother Mammon. He’s the Avatar of Greed and… how should I put it? Oh well, you’ll understand soon enough.” Lucifer seemed disappointed. 

“That’s not the problem!” I protested as I threw my arms out to my sides. “I did not agree to this by any means and I have a life. I don’t understand what is going on, but if this is a joke or some weird show then I get, aha, real funny- but I’m ready for it to end! I’m ready to go home!” I tensed up my jaw, gritting on my teeth. “And how-” I paused as I finally glanced down at my uniform that was similar to Lucifer’s and Diavolo’s. “How did I end up in this?” I gently placed a hand on my face, feeling the texture of makeup. 

“Enough,” Lucifer said sharply as he stood from his spot and walked over to me. My eyes widened, fearing that I said too much and that he was about to harm me. Instead, he pulled out a phone that was much like my own and handed it to me. “I will deal with your frustration later. You need this. Here, take this device.” I cautiously took the phone from his hand as if it might try to bite me. I glanced down at it in silence as he spoke. “It’s called a D.D.D. It’s a lot like the cell phones of your world.” I carefully flip it around, studying as much of it as I could without opening it. Lucifer was correct and I marveled at its design. 

_It’s real alright,_ I admitted. _There is no way a show would go out of their way to make a completely realistic and working phone like this. I have to cross that out of the list of possible explanations._

“This will be yours to use as long as you’re here,” I looked back up at Lucifer as he spoke. “Now, go ahead and try calling Mammon with it.” 

“Uh, okay,” I carefully glanced back down at the phone and opened the application up. I knew that it would be safer to listen to any directions that were given to me than to be stubborn, even if I was beyond frustrated. I ignored the other apps on the phone and quickly guided my way to the Phone app without any problem and tapped on the contact that said “Mammon.” I hated phone calls and I already got anxious calling strangers so this situation definitely was not a picnic for me. My hand shook as I held the phone up to my ear and waited for the stranger to pick up. “Yoooooo,” was the first thing I heard and I felt myself gulp. 

“Hi,” I said back, feeling extremely awkward.

“Huh? Who the hell are ya? You ain’t Lucifer,” the voice was annoyed and confused and I honestly couldn’t blame him. I was in the same boat. 

“Hi,” I put on my signature polite voice that I used whenever I met strangers. “I’m Claudia and I’m… human,” I decided to just get that fact out of the way. I didn’t truly know if any of these people were actually demons, after all, that fact alone would make me completely rethink the reality I was familiar with. I thought it was safe to play along. 

“Whaaa? A human? Geez, I was gettin’ all chilly here thinkin’ it was Lucifer again. Ya should’ve told me right away. So, what business does a human got with THE Mammon?” I let my tense shoulders relax from this Mammon’s words. Although demanding, there was something strangely comforting and non-threatening about this person. 

“Well uh, you are supposed to be in charge of me but I hope that we can be friends sir- uh, Mammon,” I attempted to smile as I spoke, not wanting to get off on the wrong foot.

“Eh… What’re ya even sayin’?” There was a moment of silence until he finally understood what was going on. “AAH! I get it now, you’re the other human- the new exchange student! Pff, good luck with that, and see ya.” It didn’t really seem like he understood his involvement due to his dismissive tone. 

“Well,” I cleared my throat a little. “Lucifer called for you. He wants you to come here.” 

“Pff, whatever.” I practically felt his eyes roll like an angsty teenage boy. “Ya think THE Mammon would listen to ya just cause you’re tryin’ to scare me with that name?” My expression became deadpan and Lucifer clicked his tongue up against his mouth as he snatched the phone away from me and spoke up. 

“You’ve got 10 seconds… 9… 8…-” 

“Yes sir, right away sir!” I could practically hear Mammon’s panicked yell from a foot away. Lucifer handed the phone back to me, the conversation obviously over. 

“Sounds like you had a nice chat,” Lucifer casually mentioned, obviously pleased. 

“Oh, uh, yes… he seems nice,” I tried to be polite. “But I think I would have honestly preferred it if you watched over me if I have to have someone do that.” I sighed and crossed my arms. 

“You look even more worried now, huh?” Lucifer chuckled at my discomfort. Diavolo spoke up sympathetically as he walked over to us from his seat. 

“Well, if you were suddenly brought to a strange place and then get told that an unfamiliar face will now take care of you, you’d certainly feel anxious,” Diavolo explained sadly.

“Exactly!” I gasped and felt a little emotional at someone finally understanding my situation. “Of course, at this point, anxious might be an understatement.” I didn’t even have the energy to be playful as I gently wiped my sweaty hands on my skirt.

“Don’t worry,” Diavolo said with determination. “Mammon isn’t the only one to help you out. Now then,” he couldn’t help but laugh a little. “We still need to introduce our new friend to your brothers, Lucifer, and it’s probably better that you do that instead of me, wouldn’t you say?” Lucifer literally groaned unhappily. 

“Yes… As much as I dread the idea of doing so, you’re right.” My confusion bubbled down to curiosity but before I could ask any questions, a playfully sweet voice spoke up with disappointment. 

“Oh, come now. Really? You should be honored that you get to introduce such a sweet and charming little brother like me!” A beautiful man with a petite figure stepped into view. He has stylish strawberry blond hair and a flawless face. Now that I had calmed down a little, I couldn’t help but realize that all of these men were considerably attractive. I could feel my face heat up a little. Luckily, the light blush on my cheeks was hidden behind my makeup foundation. 

“This one here is Asmodeus,” Lucifer gestured to his brother. “He’s the fifth eldest. He is the Avatar of Lust.” 

_I see I assumed all of the brothers- these demons represented Christain sins and it seems that I am correct. How am I not surprised that he is lust? I couldn’t imagine anything else_. I carefully noted the situation with my thoughts. Meanwhile, Asmodeus looked seriously offended by Lucifer’s words. 

“What- I can’t believe that you just totally ignored what I said,” he gasped. “And not only that, you referred to me as ‘this one.’ How rude!”

“Hmph,” the blonde sitting nearby looking completely bored by my whole situation grunted. “At least he didn’t ignore you altogether. How do you think I feel?” His blue eyes glanced over at us, a sharp and calculating nature to them. 

“That one there is Satan, the fourth eldest of us,” Lucifer continued as he blatantly ignored his brothers’ words. “At first glance, he may seem like a responsible demon with a good head on his shoulders, but looks can be deceiving.” 

“Yikes,” I hissed out lightly. “That’s got to hurt.” 

“Aha, so I’m that one, am I?” Satan glared at Lucifer before looking back at me. “Nice to meet you, Claudia.” I smiled politely and quickly walked over to him, shaking his hand. “I am Satan, the Avatar of Wrath.” Now, that was a surprise to me, especially considering his well-mannered appearance. 

“The Avatar of Lust and the Avatar of Wrath?” I took a step back with a raised eyebrow. I assumed this was coming, but I was struggling to accept my situation. 

“That’s right!” Asmodeus proudly grinned. “It pretty much sums up what I’m about! Including my power.” He took a step towards me, getting a little closer than what I was comfortable with. “Let’s give a little demonstration! Claudia, could you gaze into my eyes for a moment?” I obviously struggled to hide my suspicious glare from him and he just smiled. “It’s okay, I won’t hurt you. Come on, don’t be shy!” I shrugged, already way out of my comfort zone, and stared up into his eyes blankly. 

“Okay, okay, fine.” I waited. 

“Yes, great! That’s perfect!” He beamed. “Now, keep your eyes fixed on mine. Just like that…” His voice trailed off and I waited. Nothing happened, at least, I didn’t notice anything happening. “Wait a minute,” Asmodeus looked a little taken aback. “There’s something about you, huh…” Satan leaned over into my view and spoke up. 

“I should probably warn you, Claudia: you’d best be wary of Asmodeus’s gaze. He can charm and manipulate people and use them to his own advantage. If you’re not careful, he’ll charm you. And once you’re under his spell, he’ll eat you.” I instantly gasped and pushed myself away from Asmodeus, becoming instantly guarded. 

“Hey,” Asmodeus snapped at his older brother, “Don’t go around saying things like that. Hmm,” He glanced back at me, who was obviously not charmed. “Regardless, my power doesn’t seem to work this time for some reason. I wonder why.” Lucifer deeply sighed as he placed a hand on my shoulder. 

“Are you done? Now,” Lucifer pointed to a pouty redhead sitting in one of the council seats. “The one there with the very grumpy look on his face is Beelzebub. He’s the sixth oldest.” 

“Lucifer,” Beelzebub snapped his head towards our direction. “I’m hungry.” 

_I don’t think it takes a genius to know which sin he is supposed to be,_ I thought with amusement. 

“That’s too bad,” Lucifer said with zero remorse. “Now behave yourself.” 

“I’m Beelzebub,” he mumbled unhappily, “the Avatar of Gluttony.” 

“So,” Lucifer let go of my shoulder and I turned to look at him. “There are seven of us brothers in all, and I am the eldest. Mammon, the second oldest of us, who you spoke to on the phone, will be here soon. My other brothers aren’t here at the moment but,” Lucifer seemed uncertain as to what to say. “Well, we can get to them later. All in good time.” 

“During your stay in the Devildom,” Diavolo spoke up, seemingly playing tag team with Lucifer regarding explanations, “The seven brothers will lend you their strength. To keep you safe, you are to stay with them at the House of Lamentation.” 

“So,” I slightly turned around and clutched my suit case’s handle in my hand. “You are being completely serious about me actually staying here in the Devil whatever- in hell? With demons- demons who are probably the most powerful ones here for an entire year?” I felt my legs go weak. “God, my dad would kill me if he found out I was staying with all guys,” my voice was soft as I was mostly talking to myself. “Let alone demons!” I laughed. “I’m not even religious- I don’t even believe in the devil or demons- or whatever this is….” I paused for a moment and looked back up at the group. “All of this to keep me safe?” Lucifer nodded at my question. 

“Even if you are struggling to accept your situation as a reality, it is very much real and very dangerous. Most agree with Diavolo, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t vulgar demons out there who wouldn’t harm you. If anything were to happen to you, it would be our responsibility, and” he glanced over at Diavolo. “I won’t betray Diavolo’s expectations. So, I will do everything in my power to make sure you survive your stay down here in the Devildom.” 

“Charming,” I said in a deeper tone. “I think it’s just wonderful that my chance of death has just increased by 30%.” I could feel my heart beating inside me like a drum. 

“You will still have the means of reaching us, even if we will all be living together,” Lucifer nodded down at the phone in my left hand. “All of our phone numbers are already in there and your D.D.D. also has a messaging app.” Diavolo looked excited.

“I’ll go ahead and send you a message!” He seemed thrilled and Satan chuckled as he directed a sickly sweet comment towards me. 

“Isn’t that nice, Claudia. Now you will be friends with the future king of the Devildom!” I kept a polite expression on my face as I blinked a few times. 

_It seems like even thousands of year old demons can still act like bratty teenage boys, how exciting. Goodness, what the hell is going on? I would say this is a dream but it is obviously not…_ Dread instead of panicked confusion was the new topic of my thoughts. Suddenly, the room’s doors flung open and Lucifer crossed his arms, disappointed. 

“Well, you’ve got that done now, and it seems the idiot has arrived as well.” I turned around at the sound of the doors opening to see a yelling Mammon. 

“HEY!” He aggressively stormed over to me. “Just who do you think you are, huh human? You’ve got a lotta nerve summoning the Great Mammon!” My first reaction was fear from his words but I had to hold back my laugh because honestly, I wasn’t scared at all. Mammon was cute, but I would never dare outwardly admit it. With a caramel skin complexion and fluffy white hair, he looked a lot more unique than his other brothers. In fact, non of them in particular really looked like each other. “Listen up,” Mammon snapped and I brought my attention back to him, “Because I’m only gonna say this once. If you value your life, then you’ll hand over all of your money now! And uh anything else of value too!” I crossed my arms. “Otherwise I’ll wipe that stupid, pretty look right off of your face.” He paused. “By eatin’ you!” 

“Oh really?” I grinned. 

“-Startin’ at your head and working my way down, until-”

“Mammon!” Lucifer growled. “Shut up or I’ll punch you!” As promised, Lucifer did, right into Mammon’s gut. Mammon stumbled back as he clutched himself in pain. 

“Gahhh, owwww!” He snapped up, glaring at Lucifer and placing his hands on his hips. “Hey, what’s the big idea?! I thought you were actually gonna give me a chance to shut up before punching me!” 

“Claudia,” Satan nodded towards his older brother. “Mammon here is the Avatar of Greed. He governs and oversees all forms of it.” He grinned as if he had a secret. “Whenever he takes a liking to someone, they suddenly find themselves awash in money. But from what hear, if he decides to break it off with someone, that wealth evaporates. They’re left without a Grimm to their name.” 

“And he’s also a masochist,” Asmodeus chimed in. “That part’s important.” I blushed a little, thinking about how that could be taken in all of the wrong ways. 

“Indeed, and I just so happen to have a job for my masochist of a brother,” Lucifer glared at Mammon. Mammon meanwhile jumped around a little, annoyed. 

“Y’all, stop telling lies! I ain’t asked for that punch, and I AIN’T a masochist!” Poor Mammon’s words fell on deaf ears as Lucifer kept talking. 

“Mammon, you are going to be in charge of seeing to this human’s needs during the whole exchange.” To make him feel better, I sweetly waved at Mammon with a smile. “I expect your full cooperation.” 

“What?! Why me?!” Mammon whined. 

“Aw,” Asmodeus frowned as his shoulders dropped a little. “Lucky you, Mammon! I’m so jealous.” 

“All right,” Mammon dramatically pointed at his brother, “Then why don’t YOU do it, Asmodeus?!” I sighed and gently flipped my braid over my shoulder. I didn’t appreciate being treated like some kind of pet that needed a pet sitter. 

“What?” Asmodeus blankly stared back. “Hell no, too lazy.” I huffed a little at the comment as I blocked out everyone as I took a moment to reflect. 

_I’m in a place called the Devildom which must be another name for Hell. I haven’t done anything wrong but I’m here as an exchange student. I don’t remember agreeing to this situation and I definitely don’t remember packing and changing into a school uniform- although, these uniforms are extremely fashionable. Wait, I’m getting off-topic, stop it, Claudia._ I paused a moment as I placed my hand on my lips like I often did whenever I was deep in thought, my expression blank. _I would say this is illegal but I doubt there are laws here and for demons, if that is really true, they seem strangely human. Well, I need to get out of here and find a way to contact the police or my parents… but that is easier said than done._

I blinked as I realized that the group was still having a conversation. They had been bickering about who should take care of me, how mature. Lucifer was literally glowing with dark energy as he threatened Mammon with an icy tone. 

“Surely you’re not going to tell me that you object to this arrangement, are you?” Lucifer attempted not to lose his shit as Mammon froze up in fear. 

“Ugh,” He spitefully groaned. “I hate you guys! Every last one of ya! Fine… FINE! I’ll do it, okay?” He glanced at me and I felt a little uncertain. “All right, human,” He sneered a little as if that was supposed to be an insult. I didn’t feel threatened. “Listen up. As much as I don’t want to look after you, I’ve got no choice. It’s a huge pain in the ass, and I’m too important for this kind of thing, but Lucifer told me to do it, so I will. But in return, you better make sure you don’t cause me any trouble, got it?!” 

“First of all,” I remarked dryly. “I feel so honored and loved.” I could hear Satan chuckle at my comment. I crossed my arms and my expression became sympathetic. “I understand this is a lot to take in, trust me, I think I still don’t have my head wrapped around this situation yet but if you stop treating me like a PET then I will be no problem at all. I’m not a troublemaker to begin with.” I looked annoyed at even being assumed as one. “So, alright deal, I will not cause you any trouble at all,” I said softly as I raised an eyebrow. 

“Good,” Mammon nodded. “That’s what I want to hear. As long as you do as…” He paused thinking about my words. “We won’t have any problems, ya got it? You ain’t a pet but just be sure you don’t forget which one of us is the boss here.” I said nothing as I adjusted my jacket and Lucifer seemed pleased as he spoke up. 

“We have decided who will take care of you, so on to the next subject: your tasks.” 

“If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly are these tasks? Are they tests?” I asked, still unsure what the point of them was. Lucifer then went on to explain that these tasks were training activities that I would participate in every week in order to “polish up my soul” and “acquire the power to resist demons.” I was definitely uneasy about the whole demon thing and fear was threatening to make me even more anxious. Apparently, I would also have to do this training with the demon brothers that stood before me on the account of not having any magical powers- which was a can of worms I was not yet willing to open yet. 

After Lucifer’s explanation, he decided to wrap everything all up with a summary. He looked like he was tying a present together based on how easily he handled the situation but I felt like I was on a crumbling bridge. 

“You will be an exchange student here at RAD for one year, and you must do your tasks. When your exchange period comes to an end, you are to submit a paper about your stay here in the Devildom. It’s as easy as pie, don’t you think?” Mammon spontaneously spoke before I had a chance to explain my woes and worries. 

“I wanna make one thing clear right now: Don’t blame me if someone gets eaten, cause it ain’t my fault!” 

“Lucifer,” Beelzebub moaned as if he had been shot. “I’m hungry.” I tensed up, hoping that the demons weren’t going to decide that I would be the sacrifice for the Avatar of Gluttony’s stomach. 

“That’s too bad,” Lucifer frowned, obviously annoyed. I felt like this discussion had already happened as déjà vu washed over me. “Now, behave yourself.” 

“I-I,” I spoke up. “I would like to say that I want to make this a year to remember but I want to go home! I don’t belong here and I think that is plain to see. My parents are going to think I was kidnapped or worse- murdered!” 

“That is unfortunately not an option,” Lucifer sighed. “You were chosen. That is something you can’t change.” 

“I imagine a universe where humans, angels, and demons can each accept one another and where we are brought together as friends,” Diavolo spoke with an almost dreamy look in his eyes. “This is my dream, and I’m asking you to be the foundation for it.” I could feel a pit of guilt grow in my stomach. “One year, that’s what I ask of you.” He smiled down at me. “Good luck, Claudia.” My eyes widened. 

_Out of all of the billions of the people in the world, why was I chosen? Is it perhaps fate…? Or maybe, a miracle. However, I’m pretty sure miracles are usually good things, and this is definitely not a good situation._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading the first chapter of Miracles! I am very passionate about the story I want to tell and I hope it shows. If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	2. Chapter 2: Do Demons Welcome Newcomers?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia attempts to treat theses new demons that she has met with kindness but it's hard when one demon treats her like luggage and one is constantly bothering her about being a... "normie?" It bothers her to no end! What even defines a normie???

“Ugh, I don’t believe this,” Mammon mumbled as we stood in front of the gothic gate of House Lamination. I was standing right next to him, my new phone in one hand and my suitcase in the other. After my rocky introduction to the Devildom, the student council meeting ended and Lucifer instructed an unwilling Mammon to take me back to House Lamination. I, of course, didn’t want to go but I held back my complaints because at least these men were nice enough to welcome me to their home. Until I found a way to get home, I would need a place to stay. I glanced at Mammon who was still mumbling. “Of all the rotten luck. Why should I have to look after some human? It’s insulting, that’s what it is! That rotten bastard,” Mammon kicked a rock that was loose on the cobblestone road before opening up the iron gate. I followed him through it, dragging my suitcase behind me. “Does he really think that he can scare me into doin’ whatever he wants?” He seemed to be asking that question more to himself than me. He quickly turned to face me. We were now standing in front of the entrance door. 

“Just so we’re clear, it’s not like I can’t say no to Lucifer, okay?!” I tried to ignore his internal conflict as I admired the gothic architecture of the house that was more of a mansion than a humble home. I had always been a sucker for architecture and the design of House Lamination was the perfect combination of gothic and Victorian. “I only agreed to babysit you because, um…” Mammon paused, stumped. I looked back at him, trying to hide my amusement. “Well you know, because, uh- Anyway!” He declared loudly. “It doesn’t matter! Just don’t go thinking that I’m scared of Lucifer or anything! Because I’m not!” 

_ Oh really, because you totally are,  _ I thought playfully. Mammon was a horrible liar, but as someone who was supposed to represent a deadly sin, he didn’t seem so horrible and I felt bad for him. 

“I know that,” I smiled kindly. I could tell that none of his brothers respected him so I agreed with him to both comfort him and get on his good side. 

“Oh,” Mammon seemed surprised. “Okay then, as long as we’ve got that straight. Ugh,” He turned away from me and opened the door. “Whatever, let’s move on.” I followed him inside and the moment I stepped in my eyes widened. We had just stepped into the entrance hall and I was already impressed. 

“This place is beautiful,” I said sincerely as I slowly turned around in rotations, seeing as much as I could. 

“This is the House of Lamentation,” Mammon explained. “It’s one of the dorms here at RAD. Well, it’s not JUST one of the dorms. It’s the dorm reserved for student council members. Lucifer, Asmo, and the others take every chance they can get to insult me: Callin’ me scum, sayin’ that I’m a money-grubber, and stuff but I’m an officer on the student council, same as them. The elite of the elite, the top of the RAD social pyramid.” I nodded, understanding that he was bragging to make himself look good. “In other words, I’m a big shot. A REAL big shot.” 

“Mhm,” I hummed.

“Like, even regular big shots are impressed by what a big shot I am.”

“Oh yeah, totally.” 

“So don’t you go thinking that I’m just some ordinary demon. I’m nothing like those other peons walking the halls here. By the way, Diavolo is even MORE of a big shot. He’s so important that he’s got his own castle. That’s why he doesn’t live here with us.”

“Well,” I spoke up. “Isn’t he a prince? That makes sense, but I don’t understand why someone that powerful is on a student council when he already has the power to command people.” 

“I don’t know, human,” Mammon admitted with a shrug. “But on the student council, we get to all vote for things so it makes it fair. Anyway, the point is that us seven brothers all live here together. Now,” he turned and started to walk. “It’s time I show you to your room.” As we walk, I notice a bulletin board nearby in the entrance hall that is covered in fillers. It’s funny to see such a common college item in such a grand home. One of the flyers caught my attention. It was a part-time position at a makeup store and although I had no interest in staying in the Devildom for long, I still couldn’t help but be intrigued. 

“Hey,” Mammon had turned around and I realized that I had stopped walking. “Don’t just stand there will your jaw open. Hurry up, or I’m gonna leave ya behind. If there’s something you wanna ask me, you’d best do it now.” 

“Uh, sorry and yes, I do actually have a question,” I smiled apologetically and turned to look back at the flyer. I want to know about this job listing.” I walked over to the bulletin board and gently removed the flyer from its pin. Mammon came up behind me and looked over my shoulder. 

“Huh? If you’re curious about that, you can just read the flyer, can’t ya? I’m sure you can find out information later. Wait, you got ya own D.D.D., right? You can find plenty of job listings on it, that’s how I make most of my money!” He beamed and stepped away as I slipped the flyer into the front zipper of my suitcase. If I had to get a job here, I would prefer to have one in my skill range and I had both an interest and skill in makeup. “Now,” he placed his hands on his hips as he became more serious. “I’m going to give you a piece of advice, so listen up. If you wanna survive even a day here in the Devildom you’d better listen REAL close to what I’m about to say.” 

“Okay,” I slightly raised my eyebrow as I got up from my suitcase. “What is it?” 

“If it even looks like a demon is about to attack you, run away. Either that, or die.” I gulped and felt myself get weak again. Mammon had previously calmed my anxiety for some reason earlier but to be reminded how threatened my life was, was extremely scary. I felt my emotions build up and almost cried until an angry person stormed into the hall. 

“How about this?” The stranger snapped “I vote for YOU to die, Mammon.” Also a student at RAD based on his uniform, the stranger had a unique look just like everyone else that I had previously met with thick and shaggy purplish hair and orange eyes that reminded me of a snake’s. Mammon jumped at the voice and noticed him after me. 

“D’ah! Levi… Uh,” He nervously looked at me as I waited for an introduction. “L-Listen up, human-!”

“Claudia,” I corrected him. 

“Whatever, this here is Leviathan, the Avatar of Envy. He’s the third oldest of us brothers. Since his name’s sorta hard to say, you can just call him Levi! Okay,” Mammon rushed through the introduction and was ready to drag me off but I stepped out to Levi and held my hand out. 

“Hello Levi, it’s nice to meet you, I am-” 

“Mammon,” he completely ignored me as he glared darkly at his older brother. “Give me back my money. Then go crawl in a hole and die.”

“Come on,” Mammon tried to subtlety hide behind me. “I told you I’d get it to you! I just need a little more time… And you still want me to die even after I give it back?” Mammon huffed. “That’s real harsh, Levi!” I frowned as I glanced back at Mammon and then laughed a little. 

_ I don’t like to be ignored, but to see thousands of year old demons argue like little kids is strangely amusing. They act more human than demon, yet, I’m not even really sure exactly how a demon is supposed to act anyway,  _ I thought with amusement and distracted myself from my nervousness. 

“You need a little more time?” Levi narrowed his eyes and asked, “How much more?” 

“A little more, okay?!” Mammon was trying to shrink behind me.”A little more means a little more!” I rolled my eyes with a light smile. 

“You’ve been telling me that for the last 200 years, Mammon.” My eyes widened at Levi’s retort. 

“Holy shit,” I lightly gasped. 

“Hey, no!” Mammon felt the need to clarify. “It hasn’t been 200 years! It’s been 260! Get it right, Levi!” I felt my jaw drop. 

“Unbelievable,” Levi scowled, “Seriously Mammon you’re-” 

“I’m what?” Mammon puffed out his chest as he jumped out from behind me. “Scum? Is that what you’re gonna say?”

“-you’re a lowlife and a waste of space.” I even winced at the response. 

“Hey! Come on,” Mammon whined. “That’s even worse!” 

“Whatever,” Levi flipped his hair out of his eyes. “Just give me back my money. I need it to buy the Blu-ray box set of  _ Journey to the Devildom: The Tale of a Little She-Devil and Her Reluctant Companion. _ The initial round of copies includes promotional tickets to a live event as a special bonus!” Levi had turned into a total fanboy and his eyes were even sparkling. I blinked a few times. I… I did not expect that. At all. 

“Uh,” Mammon scratched his head. “I’ve got no idea what you’re even talking about Levi, but it doesn’t matter! Because I don’t even have any money to give you. How am I supposed to give back money I don’t have, huh?!” 

“So then,” Levi frowned. “You’re telling me you refuse to pay me back?” I was starting to get really tired of the brothers’ bickering and I leaned up against my suitcase handle as support. 

“What? You looking for a fight, is that it?” Mammon antagonized his brother boldly. 

“Enough!” I yelled a little louder than I anticipated. “Mammon,” I snapped my head towards him as his eyes widened. “I’m sorry if this offends you, but you are being completely ridiculous right now. I understand that as brothers you do not take each other seriously, however, that does not mean that you can go back on your word. But,” I said sharply before they could interject. “Asking your brother for money that is 200 years behind is a little much,” I admitted as I looked at Levi. “He obviously wouldn’t have that money, nor would anyone. If I were you, I would have already given up on even trying to get it back. If you had the luxury to give such money away, then you have the luxury to earn it back.” I tapped my nails on the suitcase as I grew quiet. “I’m sorry, but please just decide on something, I can’t stand for this to go on.” Levi actually decided to somewhat acknowledge my existence as his glare increased. 

“What’s the deal with this human you’ve got here with you? Are they your newest sponsor or something?” 

“Wha- no!” Mammon seemed surprised by my support but I just wanted to crawl into whatever room was mine and cry for a solid thirty minutes. I needed some alone time. “I’d need someone rich enough to support me. Don’t be crazy. Though now that I think about it,” Mammon stared far too long at my face that it started to make me a little uncomfortable. “Levi, I’m pretty sure this one likes to collect the same stuff you do. I bet you’d kill to have some of the stuff in Claudia’s collection.” I became confused. “You know what I’m talking about, those doll things you always buy. What do you call ‘em again?” 

“Oh, figurines- Figurines,” Levi and I spoke at the same time. We both shared a look. 

“Yeah, those!” Mammon nodded, satisfied. 

“So, you also collect figurines?” Levi’s eyes widened, actually taking an interest in me. “Which ones?” He got all up in my personal space. “Oooh, do you have any of the main characters from  _ Battle Princess Brigade?  _ Or  _ Girls Only _ , or  _ Diamond Dust _ ?” 

“Uh,” I backed up a little and smiled, uneasy. “I don’t actually, I’m sorry. I watch anime and read manga but I’ve never heard those titles before.” Levi looked like he was about to lose interest in me again until he gasped with realization. 

“Hold on a second,” Levi wildly looked around and at the same time we both realized something. “That ass Mammon ran off!” Levi brought his attention back to me. “Do you realize what just happened? Mammon used you as a distraction to get away from me- or maybe I should say he used you as a sacrifice.” 

“Clever,” I sighed. “But I’m not surprised. Sorry that I was the distraction.” 

“It was pretty dumb of you to let him see you like that,” Levi sneered and I felt my headache come back, this time in anger and not from stress. Levi sighed as he went on. “This is EXACTLY why humans are-” 

“Hey,” I stopped him before he could continue. “I feel like we are getting off on the wrong foot here. I don’t think I have done anything to wrong you, now have I?” I grasped my hands together. “Maybe we should start over because if we are really going to live together then we shouldn’t have bad feelings towards each other. Even if I am a human-” Levi didn’t seem to be listening and interrupted me. 

“Wait a second, humans! Yes, that’s it…” He almost laughed like an evil scientist and he smirked. “I’ve got an idea.” 

“Did you even listen to a wo-” 

“Listen, we can deal with that later but this is important. Are you free right now? Levi tried to casually ask. “Of course you are. You’ve gotta be, right?” He was getting more excited. “You know what? Never mind. Either way, you’re coming with me.” He looked into my eyes seriously as he grabbed my arm. While being dragged off and protesting, my D.D.D. buzzed and I glanced down at it. 

Mammon:  _ Heya, I suddenly remembered I have some business I gotta take care of. So, if ya need something, just ask Levi ;) _

Mammon:  _ Oh, and just make sure… Don’t go around tellin’ stuff to Lucifer, ya got that?  _

Me:  _ Mhm, sure you have something important to do. Did you really have to leave me like that? It’s only my first day here… I won’t tell Lucifer a thing but I need to make sure that you’ll have my back when I have yours… please.  _

Mammon:  _ Ya, ya, whatever. Anyway thx, mwah.  _

After going through several sections of the house and not even getting a proper chance to admire the interior, Levi finally dragged me into a room and cautiously looked around out into the hall before closing the door. I was in a beautiful room that had two very conflicting styles. On one side of the spectrum, the room reminded me of a beautiful underwater scene with large jellyfish lights, a wall that was completely glass and offered the view of a giant aquarium, and a bed that literally looked like a bath tube. On the other hand, the room also looked like the basement where a thirty-year-old still lived with his tired and pushover of a mother. Levi’s walls and bookshelves were completely decked out in anime posters. On his bookshelves sat numerous manga volumes and figurines. On his desk sat a gaming system with three monitors. As someone who enjoyed video games myself, it made me a little envious. However, I only could feel so comfortable in the dark room as I crossed my arms and could only hope that Levi didn’t have any bad intentions with me. 

_ I’m in a guy’s room, with him, alone- completely alone. God, the last time this happened I was with my ex and although we were only watching tv, I kept thinking that his overbearing mother would jump out at any moment and think that we were doing something wrong.  _ My thoughts were making me flustered and board lining suggestive. 

“Uh, Levi, why did you have to look around before closing the door?” I tried to ask without sounding suspicious but I had to look out for my own safety. I knew there was no way that I could defend myself against powerful demons. 

“What’s that now?” Levi glanced over at me as he walked away from the door. “You want to know why I looked around to see if anyone was watching before I closed the door?” I nodded. “Why do you THINK I did it?! Isn’t it obvious?!” He was almost yelling. “Imagine what would happen if someone saw me inviting you into my room! A human who doesn’t even look like an otaku, but a normie? A pretty and basic normie human girl! You know what people would say, right?!” I didn’t know whether I should laugh or be annoyed. I crossed my arms. 

“I don’t look it, but I am actually an otaku too- well, I’m not Japanese, obviously, but I’m an avid anime watcher and manga reader. I play a lot of video games too,” I explained as I looked over at his system. “Um, thank you for saying that I’m pretty but maybe you shouldn’t judge me just because of how I look.” 

“I can’t help it that you look like a normie,” he complained and I cringed at how he treated the word “normie” like a slur. “But really? You are?” His voice became softer and he became embarrassed. “W-Well, if you think that means I’ll give you special treatment now, you’ve got another thing coming! Because I won’t!” 

“And I don’t want you to treat me in any kind of special way,” I gently replied, just glad that he didn’t view me as a victim. I would rather be viewed as a normie than someone’s next meal or as a body. I glance around some more, taking in the books better. I glance at one of the thick volumes titled  _ The Tale of the Seven Lords: The Lord Of Shadow Awakens _ . 

“What is it, human? What’re you looking at?” Levi asked as his eyes followed mine. “Wait,” he got fluttery. “That looks like…  _ The Tale of the Seven Lords _ . Are you a fan of that, too?” 

“I’m interested, but I’ve never heard of it,” I admit as I look back at him. 

_ I was just surprised to see such thick books. I think I’m starting to feel homesick and missing my large book collection.  _ I sadly recalled my two large, dark bookshelves that sat in my room back home. My heart ached a little. 

“Excuse me?” Levi looked as if I just kicked a puppy. “You don’t know TSL? And you call yourself a human?! Just how clueless ARE you?! How Could you not know?!” 

“Well I-” 

“Just the fact that you don’t know TSL alone is proof that you’ve been wasting your life! So, I’m going to do you a favor and teach you about TSL. Make sure you pay attention!” I knew there was no way I was going to stop Levi and I was getting too tired to put up a fight. My anxiety from earlier in the day was seriously taking a toll on me and my eyes felt so heavy. For the next 30 minutes, Levi gave me a lecture on  _ The Tale of the Seven Lords _ by Christopher Peugeot. From his ramblings, I gathered that the story was about these seven lords that were all brothers- which reminded me of a certain group of seven brothers- and the protagonist named Henry. He especially made sure that I knew just how much he adored the third lord, which was basically just Levi with a different name, and how he adored the friendship between Henry and the third lord. 

“I wish I could be like the third lord,” Levi eventually admitted. “I may be a recluse like him, but we’re totally different, because he’s got an amazing friend like Henry.” That tug at my heartstrings a little. “Check it out. See that goldfish in the fish tank there?” I turned my gaze to the large tank with a nod as my eyes landed on a bug-eyed goldfish swimming around. “He’s actually named Henry. I love TSL so much that I couldn’t help naming him after the main character… But I can’t really high-five a goldfish, can I?” Levi softly whispered and I had to resist the urge from hugging him out of pity. Although he had been a total prick to me upon our first introduction, I felt nothing but pity for him. 

“The original author of TSl, Christopher Peugeot, he’s actually a human, you know?” Levi continued. “That’s why I’m so jealous of you guys.” 

_ Seriously, you're jealous? Here I thought he looked down at humans and thought of them as lessers, how strange.  _ But I quickly became annoyed when he started to whine about the fact that humans had subscription services to watch anime and got to go to Japan to do stereotypical things in Japan or whatever. I did not want to hear it from him, especially considering what I was going through.  __ He eventually decided that he wanted to BE Henry  __

“Really, Levi?” I sighed, tired. “Not all humans experience that and that seems like a rather childish reason to want something that someone else has. Anyway, I’m afraid it’s not really possible for you to become Henry, but that’s obvious. I hate to be rude, but do you really need me right now? As nice as it is to hang out with you, I am really tired and this situation is really getting to me,” I explained as I took a few steps back. 

“Wait,” He wheezed a little. “I didn’t bring you here to tell you about TSL, I need you for something.” I sighed and turned to look at him, patiently waiting. “Look, you don’t have to like me human, but I’m not the worst one here. We both already know that Mammon is a complete and utter scumbag. It’s very important that you understand this. So I’ll say it one more time. Mammon is a hopeless, worthless, scumbag.” Levi’s words were like venom. “I lent that scumbag money, and now I want him to pay me back. But being the scumbag that he is, he won't do it. I wish I could force him to, but despite what a rotten waste of space he is, Mammon’s still the second oldest.” 

“What does age have to do with anything?” I asked, confused. 

“As the third oldest, no matter how hard I try, I don’t stand a chance against him. The scumbag is just more powerful.” 

“Really?” I crossed my arms. “I understand that siblings aren’t always on the best terms, but you seem especially hateful towards Mammon, why is that?” 

“Well,” Levi sighed as he explained. “It’s a long story, but I’ll tell you, human.” 

“It’s Claudia. My name is Claudia,” I said shortly, tired of just being called “human.” I sat down on his chair by his desk, not even bothering to ask. If his story was going to be as long as his last ramblings, then I needed to get comfortable. “But go ahead, I’m all ears.” 

“Once, a long time ago, Mammon won a prize in a convenience store promotional campaign. If you bought something, they let you reach into a box and pull out a piece of paper that told you what you'd won. The prize Mammon won was a Seraphina figurine, which is something I would’ve died to have but despite the fact that Mammon had no interest in it at all, he refused to give it to me.” Levi then went rambling on about how his precious Seraphina could be harmed in Mammon’s hands. “I decided that I had to save Seraphina, so I snuck into Mammon’s room in the middle of the night-” 

“That’s a little much Levi,” I brought up. He glared at me seriously. 

“I had to save her and what I saw in his room was horrible! You’re not gonna believe it. He didn’t open the box- No it’s way worse than that. He hadn’t even taken it out of the plastic convenience store bag!” I pretended to be shocked as he went on about how cruel it was that the “Queen of the High Elves Herself” had been tossed on the floor. “It was so awful that I just lost it, and flew into a rage. I walked straight over to Mammon, who was lying on his bed asleep. Then I raised my leg up into the air over him and brought my heel down onto his stomach as hard as I could.” I then had to hear about how Levi got absolutely wrecked by Mammon. “And the worst part is that he was STARK NAKED!” I couldn’t help but think about what Mammon must look like naked as Levi mumbled about how he should at least wear some underwear when he sleeps. 

_ Stop it, stop it mind. Man, Levi really does just keep talking and talking… but maybe that’s because he doesn’t have a lot of friends. If that’s true, then this is just really depressing…  _

“But if say, a human made a pact with Mammon,” Levi explained and I started to pay attention again, sitting up straight. “...And bound him to their service, then he’d have to do whatever that human told him to. Which means,” Levi grinned with excitement as the pace of his voice picked up. “If you make a pact with Mammon and then order him to give me back my money, he wouldn’t have any choice but to do it.” 

“Woah, woah, woah,” I held my hands up defensively. “Before I even agree to be a part of any kind of revenge plans, I need to know… What is a pact?” I highly doubted the fact that I was going to go along with his plan but I was definitely curious about pacts. 

_ If I can make a pact with a demon, _ I carefully thought,  _ then maybe I’ll be able to protect myself better until I can find a way home. After all, Lucifer talked about how demons will want to try to trick me and eat me.  _ The very thought of such a thing was horrifying. 

“A pact with a demon- Haven’t you seen that in movies and such?” Levi asked. I tilted my head a little. 

“Well sure,” I said slowly, “But I don’t want to automatically assume that reality matches up with fiction.” 

“Well, a pact is when the demon lends his strength to a human to make their wish come true in exchange for their soul.” 

“Wait,” I tensed up, regretting my interest. “I don’t want to give up my soul- nothing is worth that.” 

“That isn’t always necessary,” Levi clarified. “It depends on what’s in the pact. But well, you need to give SOMETHING to the demon to make it worth the exchange, so it’s pretty much inevitable.” 

_ So, I have two choices: I’m screwed, or I’m screwed. Great.  _

“If you don’t want to give up your soul, then I’ll tell you how you can negotiate with Mammon,” Levi promised with a light smirk. “Also, I’m sure it would be useful having him as your servant. I mean, despite how awful he is, he’s still a powerful demon. I bet you feel worried, being dragged down here to the Devildom and all.” I sighed, nodding. 

“Oh boy, that’s the understatement of the year.” I stared down at my lap. “I want to be safe, but the idea of tricking and having Mammon as some kind of servant seems wrong.” 

“Well, Mammon is a scumbag so he gets what’s coming to him,” Levi justified himself. “Anyway, you know that it will help us both- it definitely won’t be a bad deal for you.” I contemplated my actions for a moment before speaking up. 

“How would I go about tricking Mammon?” 

“I take it this means you think this plan of mine could work, right? Excellent,” Levi eagerly rubbed his hands together like a villain. “You may be human, but still, you show some promise!” 

“I don’t think-” I tried to protest but was rudely interrupted. 

“But if I’m being honest, I don’t really care what you think.” I felt my face heat up with embarrassment and frustration. “What’s important is that I have a plan and I’m going to explain it to you now. So, shut up and listen.” Thus, in only my first day in the Devildom, I, Claudia Robinson, the human newcomer, got wrapped up in some demon’s ploy. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, I just wanted to thank you for reading the second chapter of Miracles. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and don't forget to share your opinions down in the comments. I appreciate everything, even criticism! Happy reading!


	3. Chapter 3: Do Demons Fall for Tricks?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's only been a day since Claudia has arrived in the Devildom and she is already being used as a puppet! Levi wants her to make a pact with Mammon as a form of revenge, but all she cares about is not becoming some demon's next meal...

_“If you just walk up to Mammon and ask him to make a pact with you, he’ll never agree. No, you need some leverage… a bargaining chip.”_

This rang through my head as I slowly cut into the meat that sat before me on my plate. I was now sitting at a long table, in between Levi and Mammon, sharing a meal with six brothers who were supposed to be the most powerful demons in all of Devildom. My situation was more than unbelievable, it was impossible. However, by that point, I was getting so tired and worn out that I decided to argue about the logical nature of my dilemma later. 

After being trapped in Levi’s room for an eternity, I was finally able to make my escape, going back to the entrance hall to grab my suitcase that had been abandoned. However, before I could even bother trying to find my room, I was lucky enough to meet Lucifer who had just arrived back from RAD. After a house tour and the grumbling pleas of my stomach, Lucifer showed me to the dining room where the other brothers that I had already met were already filling in, setting the table and sitting down. The food before me was foreign and I decided to ask a question among the causal chatter that was behalf of my livelihood. 

“Excuse me,” I spoke up softly, a little shy to be eating dinner with such a crowd. “But none of this looks familiar to me, is it safe for me to eat?” 

“Hm,” Satan was the first one to notice my question. “Well, I prepared the meal tonight so I sure hope that it is safe to eat. I don’t think any ingredients that we use here in the Devildom is harmful, and before you arrived, I made sure to look up just what exactly was toxic to humans.” 

“Really?” I perked up a little. “Thank you for preparing tonight’s meal and doing research beforehand. I hope my question didn’t come across as rude, but I just wanted to make sure that it was safe before I dug in.” 

_I don’t want to die before I can even get a chance to escape here_. I shivered a little with my thoughts. 

“Well,” Asmodeus playfully pointed at me with his fork as he spoke. “You better dig in as much as you can before Beel easts it all.” I glanced over at Beel who was at the other end of the table. It had only been a few minutes since we sat down and he was already on his fifth plate. The man was an eating machine.

“Holy cow,” I laughed a little in disbelief. “That’s impressive. I didn’t know that you could eat that fast Beelzebub.” He was completely in the zone, not even hearing a word I said. I looked back up at Satan and Asmodeus with a light smile. “You need to enter him in an eating contest.” 

“I doubt that the other contestants would even stand a chance,” Lucifer said, amusement dancing in his words. I could feel my smile get a little bigger. “Claudia,” Lucifer called to me and I looked at him from where he was sitting at the head of the table. “You have only been here in the Devildom for a few hours and I wanted to know about how you were feeling. Diavolo would like a report on your status.” 

“How I’m feeling,” I repeated, carefully deciding my next words. “Well, I came here feeling beyond anxious and stressed but I want to try to be optimistic,” _about escaping_ , “Even though I’m not really the most optimistic person. I want to learn everything I can about the Devildom. I think in only one day I’ve already learned a lot about Levi and Mammon,” I smiled at my last comment. 

“Well,” Levi stood up with his plate, planning on leaving. “Don’t think that this makes you important or anything, normie.” He turned and started to walk off. “I’m going back to my room, the newest episode of _Doki Heart Club_ is coming out and I refuse to watch it after everyone else has already talked about it on Devilgram.” I watched him leave frowning, worried that he left because of something I did.

“He always does that,” Asmodeus sighed as he crossed his arms. “Levi’s too much of a shut-in to be around strangers for long.” 

“But h-hey,” Mammon yelped a little loudly. “You know nothing about me human, got it? All you need to know is that I am THE Mammon. The GREAT Mammon.” 

“And that you’re a scumbag,” Satan scowled over the cup of tea that he had brought up to his mouth. The meal ended up becoming a bickering session that ended in Lucifer dismissing everyone from the table except for me because they were all “giving him a larger headache than they normally did.” 

Once everyone parted ways, mumbling and Beelzebub stacking his to-go plate as tall as he could, the dining room became silent as Lucifer sighed with relief and indulged himself in the glass of red wine before him. All I could hear was the light taps of silverware against plates and the light shuffles of movement in distant rooms. 

“Forgive them, usually they don’t behave like such nuances but apparently they’re all wound up. I have a feeling it’s because of a certain new resident at House Lamination,” Lucifer concluded as his sharp eyes gazed into my softer and lighter ones. I felt a flutter of nervousness stir in my soul. There was a slight pause before he spoke again. “Claudia, how old are you?” 

“I’m 17 sir, but I turn 18 soon in September,” I replied as I picked at my nails in my lap. I felt too nervous to continue my meal. 

“So young,” he mumbled as he gently rotated his wine glass around. I thought about how this would be the perfect moment to execute Levi’s plan, but I hesitated, unsure if I should ruin such a quiet moment. “There’s no need to call me sir, Lucifer is fine as long as you know your place here.” 

_I assume my place as a human which is below a demon… how charming. Who knows, next I might be mocked and looked down upon for being a woman._ However, as much as I wanted to protest, I kept my thoughts locked up and simply nodded. 

“Yes, I understand Lucifer.” 

After a few more light and surface leveled questions, our quiet yet slightly tense meal ended. I slumped my shoulders in exhaustion as I made my way towards my room. Declining Lucifer’s offer in walking me to my room, I finally had a moment alone with my thoughts. Knowing where it was from the house tour and my suitcase that was sitting outside my new door, my new room was an easy destination to locate. I quickly closed the door behind me as soon as I dragged my suitcase in and fell against the closed door in relief. I sighed with my eyes closed, enjoying a small moment of peace. 

_Privacy at last_ , I thought as I slowly opened my eyes to see my new and foreign room. I gasped and pushed myself from the door, excitement engulfing me. My room looked like it came out of a fairy tale with walls of ivy, a giant tree with hanging lights. I slowly walked around, taking in every little detail from the purple and plush queen-sized bed made for a princess to the bookshelves decorated with small succulents and knick-knacks. The room was small and cozy yet had an elegance that was present throughout every detail. The most shocking factor was that it suited me so well. I could feel my stomach drop as if I was falling. 

_Who decorated this room and how do they seem to know me so well?_ I asked, now having yet another unanswered question. I groaned as I dragged my suitcase to the center and set it down on the patterned rug in my room.

“Let’s see,” I whispered to myself as I unzipped my suitcase. “What’s in here.” I had no memory of packing my suitcase and I wasn’t even certain if I was the one that packed it to begin with. I felt my lip tremble as I looked down at the content of my suitcase. I decided that there was no way that anyone besides me had packed my bag considering the outfits and personal belongings that laid within. I started to slowly pull everything out: my Switch, my phone, my favorite book, an empty journal for class notes, my sketchbook. I choked back a whimper as I pulled out my most treasured stuffed animal and hugged onto it as tight as I could. My eyes watered from all of the overwhelming emotions that I had bottled up and it all spilled out at once as I sobbed while clutching onto my precious memory of home. I wasn’t the type to get homesick, but the experience of being thrust into a strange land with even stranger people had been a scary one. 

It took me a while to finally control my breathing and have enough strength to finish unpacking. I had not accepted my fate as an exchange student yet, but my OCD tendencies outweighed my stubbornness so I gave into my desire to unpack. When I was satisfied with my room, I wandered into my private bathroom and forced myself to remove my makeup, take a cold shower, and prepared for bed. I would never have the willpower to escape if I did not have energy and my body agreed because as soon as I hit the bed, I passed out and slept like the dead, not even allowing myself to reflect on my future as a RAD student. 

I studied my map of RAD in one hand and my schedule in the other as I carefully made my way up a spiraling set of stairs. Today was my official first day as a student and before I was swept up in the chaos of the day set ahead of me, I wanted to get an idea of exactly where I needed to go. So, arriving as early as my tired and aching body was willing, I set out to mark out each and every one of my destinations and classes that would be a part of my new schedule. 

Currently, all I had left was to find my last class of the day and it was getting to the point where it was easier said than done. I was lost and so, that was how I found myself on a spiraling staircase that never seemed to end, hoping that I was at least heading in the right direction. I passed two students casually leaning against the marble railing and picked up their conversation as I felt their eyes stare daggers into me. 

“Hey, check it out,” one of them nodded towards my direction. “That’s the human that everyone’s been talking about, You think it’s true what they say, that Mammon became a babysitter?” 

“Well,” the other one chuckled cruelly. “If so, then I’d say that actually works out great, doncha think? If we wait and strike when he’s not paying attention, he’ll never figure out it was us.” I felt my body tense up in fear and I refused to look up from my map. My legs grew weak and my hands became clammy. “C’mon, we should devour the human before Beel does.” 

I could hear my heart beating in my head as my instincts took over and I started to bolt up the stairs as fast as I could. My mind was so frazzled that I almost slammed into a stranger that stepped out in front of me. I gasped as I stopped just in time, my eyes wide with fear. 

“Hey, you there,” the tall stranger spoke up with a knowing look. He had on a uniform as well so I knew that he had to be a student. He had thick white hair and sharp grey eyes that had a calculating nature to them. “That’s right, I’m talking to you,” he nodded as I pointed to myself, my cheeks heating up. “-The human with that frightened, tormented look on your face that demons love so much. You’re practically screaming, ‘Come and eat me! I’m scrumptious!’ Your name’s Claudia, isn’t it? This D.D.D. here belongs to you, right?” He asked as he held up mine. I cursed myself for not even knowing that I dropped it. “I saw you drop it just now. Here, take it,” he smiled as he handed it back to me.

“Thank you,” I said softly as I took it from the stranger, still shaken up. “But I think I am more than justifiably scared. Who are you anyway?” I find my voice again and become a little guarded. “I don’t plan on being your next meal either.” The stranger laughed at me and grinned. 

“Haha, there’s no need to be suspicious of me. My name’s Solomon. I’m an exchange student from the human world, just like you.” I felt my body relax a little as my expression softened. “Nice to meet you, Claudia.” We shook hands as I weakly smiled. 

“It’s nice to meet you as well Solomon, but how do you know my name?” I glance over behind my back slightly. The pair of demons have seemed to lose interest in me as they scowled at Solomon. I look back at him. 

“You’re probably not aware of this, but you’re a bit of a celebrity here at RAD right now,” Solomon laughed a little and I snorted in disbelief. 

“Really? But how is that possible? It’s only been a day since I’ve arrived and I haven’t really done anything of note yet,” I sigh not knowing if my new-found status was a good thing or a very, very, bad thing.

“Just being an exchange student from the human world makes you special enough,” Solomon explained. “But on top of that, you’ve got yourself an infamous demon-like Mammon looking after you as well.” I winched a little, thinking about how Mammon would hate the idea of being known as my “babysitter.” Before we can say anymore, the school bell rings, echoing throughout the halls. 

“Uh-oh, I’d better get going,” Solomon seemed a little disappointed by the interruption. “See you around, Claudia. Take care of yourself.” Solomon started to leave and I waved at him. 

“Okay, thank you, I’ll try. I’ll see you around!” I have to yell the last part a little because the stairway was already filling up with noise. I turned around to go downstairs, bracing myself for what was ahead. 

“Good morning, Claudia,” Lucifer greeted as I entered my first-period class. “You’ve become quite the celebrity here, haven’t you?”

“Good morning, Lucifer,” I greeted back as well as I moved to a free seat towards the back of the lecture hall. “And yes, I’ve unfortunately noticed that that’s the case.” Lucifer followed me with a chuckle. 

“Were you able to get a good night’s sleep?” He asked as he sat down next to me. “I have to say, you look a bit more relaxed now. Be sure not to let your guard down.” He became more serious with his tone as he spoke, “I don’t want you to end up getting eaten by some random, lesser demon. It would only mean plenty of paperwork for me, and I don’t need that.” 

“Don’t worry,” I pulled a pen and notebook out from my school briefcase. “I never let my guard down and heaven forbid that you have more paperwork,” I said with a little bit of saltiness behind my polite smile. It was frustrating to know that he cared more about paperwork than my life. 

“I saw you in the halls earlier,” he casually mentioned. “Was that Solomon I saw you talking with?” I nodded as I set my briefcase down on the ground after I closed it. “You and he are the only two students from the human world here. Seeing as you’re both human, it’s fine if you associate with him,” Lucifer explained as his tone started to become cautionary. “But know that he can’t be trusted. He may be a mere human, but he has a ring imbued with wisdom, and he wields powerful magic. He’s the type of man who will try to subjugate even a powerful, greater demon if he gets the chance.”

“Magic?” I asked slowly. “Of course,” I shook my head. “I shouldn’t be surprised that magic is real considering the fact that demons are real. Subjugate,” I pondered as I tapped my pen against the wooden surface of the desk I was sitting at. “That reminds me of what Leviathan said,” I mumbled. 

_“Lucifer has something that Mammon wants, something he’d kill to get.”_

_“What is it?” I asked as I leaned forward in my chair._

_“I’m talking about Mammon’s credit card, which Lucifer took away from him.” I raised an eyebrow, not understanding what the big deal was._

_“I see that look on your face, and I know what you’re thinking,” Levi said once he saw my face. “‘A credit card? Pff, why would he care so much about something like that?’ Well, you’ve got no idea just how much he depends on what thing. Let’s see, what did he use to call it again? ‘My one true love’?” Levi’s expression became disgusted as he spoke, “It was something like that. It was like he thought it was a woman. He probably named it. I bet he even slept with it. Gross.”_

_“Yeah,” I backed into the chair, a little weird out. “But why did he get it taken away? He must have done something extreme.”_

_“That idiot used it constantly,” Levi huffed as he rolled his eyes. “Never stopped. Eventually, Lucifer had had enough of his behavior, so he confiscated it. There’s nothing Mammon wouldn’t do if it meant getting his credit card back, I’m sure of it.”_

_“So let’s say I agree to help you,” I crossed my arms as I spoke. “What do you want me to do?”_

_“I want you to talk to Lucifer and find out where he’s hidden it. Of course, he can’t suspect anything. You’ve got to be subtle, like it happened to come up naturally. Make sure you do a good job, or else!”_

“What is it, Claudia?” Lucifer snapped me back to reality and I looked over at him. “Is there something you want to ask me?” I debated if I should try my luck at finding out the location of Mammon’s credit card or not. I knew that I had to do it now since I chickened out at asking during dinner. 

“Yes, actually,” I said casually as I adjusted myself in my seat, “I do before class starts…”

_I can’t lie, I’m a horrible liar, but I’m a good actor. I can do this,_ I thought in an attempt to hype myself up. 

“I’d like to know more about Mammon since he’ll be watching over me,” I kept my hands still, forcing them not to pick at my nails nervously. 

“Mammon?” Lucifer looked surprised. “I guess it is only natural for you to ask that considering that he is the one assigned to look after you. Mammon is my brother,” Lucifer said curtly. “I don’t want to say anything unkind about him, so I’ll be sparing in my criticism.” Lucifer cleared his throat. “He’s pure scum. The scummiest sort of scum. Pure, unfiltered, disgusting scum to the point that I’m embarrassed to call him a fellow demon, much less my brother.”

_Ouch,_ I cringed a little wondering if Mammon was truly that bad. 

“...So, any particular reason you ask or were you just curious?” 

“Well,” I tried to casually shrug. I knew that was intelligent and I didn’t want to insult him by being obvious with my intentions. “I was wondering, what sort of weaknesses does Mammon have?” 

“Are you implying that you think I know his weaknesses and can exploit them when I like? Because,” he admitted, “I suppose that is true in a way. However, that’s not the only reason he can’t say no to me. As long as we’re on the subject, it just so happens that I’ve taken one particular weakness of his and frozen it.” The professor entered the room just as the tardy bell rang. 

“Well,” Lucifer turned himself to face forward. Looks like class is about to start,” and that ended that conversation. I couldn’t pay attention to anything for the first half of the class because I kept trying to wrap my head around Lucifer’s hint.

_It almost seems like Lucifer actually wants me to find Mammon’s credit card because he knows what I’m doing, but that’s insane. Right?_

This question still haunted my head as I laid in bed at night, restless and angsty. Not only did I wonder what Lucifer was trying to say, but I had many other questions. I wondered about just why I was chosen for the exchange program, I wondered if my parents were okay, and I wondered… When would I meet the seventh brother? 

_Everyone keeps mentioning him but who is he? Lucifer is the oldest brother, then its Mammon as 2nd, Levi as 3rd, then I believe it's Satan next, then Asmodeus, and finally Beelzebub as the sixth oldest. Who’s the youngest? Is he gone on a trip? Should I ask someone about him or will it be a sensitive topic?_

I tried to close my eyes again, hoping that sleep will take me. My phone buzzed and I moaned as I reached over for it. My eyes struggled to adjust to the light of my D.D.D. as I read the notification. It was a message from Leviathan. 

Leviathan: _You say Lucifer mentioned having frozen something? Are you absolutely sure that’s what he said?_

Me: _Yes, that’s right. He must have been talking about Mammon’s credit card, right?_

Leviathan: _Come to the kitchen. Right now._

Leviathan: _Don’t tell anyone what you’re doing. I don’t want anyone to mistakenly think that I hang out with some human normie._

Me: _Wow, I can really feel the love. Okay, fine, I’m coming. I can’t sleep anyway. I’ll see you soon._

Groaning as I got up, I dragged myself to the bathroom to brush my hair before heading down to the kitchen only wearing a nightgown. I tried not to feel weird about it. As I carefully snuck in, my bare feet gently moving across the cold tile, I heard a monstrous noise coming from within the kitchen. I carefully turned around, planning on leaving and hoping that whatever was making that noise wouldn’t kill me. 

“Not so fast,” I heard and froze. I slowly turned around to see Beelzebub standing over the fridge wearing only a shirt and boxers. I tried not to stare at him but it was hard. Apparently, under his uniform, Beelzebub was extremely buff. It wasn’t overwhelming but it was impressive and more importantly, attractive. “Are you going to pretend like you didn’t see me here, or is it that you’re planning to go tell on me?” 

“What? Oh no, no, no!” I spoke up and stepped into the kitchen, embarrassed. “I didn’t know who was in here and I wasn’t really planning on telling anyone either…” Beelzebub grunted a little and stepped away from the fridge. 

“Hm, so what’re you doing in the kitchen so late?” I hesitated at his question. Leviathan would be mad that I told anyone that I was meeting him and it would seem like we were up to something more if I just left my explanation at that. My stomach growled a little. 

“Oh, I couldn’t sleep and I was getting hungry,” I admitted, which was true. 

“Ah, you’re hungry?” Beelzebub smiled as he gave a hearty laugh. “That makes two of us, then. In that case, I understand,” he said with a serious nod. “When you start feeling hungry in the middle of the night, it’s not like you can just wait until morning to eat. Oh,” he turned to look at the fridge. “And the refrigerator’s empty. I already ate everything in there.” 

“Seriously?” I laughed a little in disbelief. “Isn’t there- wasn’t there enough food in there to feed seven people?” 

“Was,” Beelzebub nodded. I laughed a little again until silence fell between us. I decided to ask a question that had been on my mind. 

“Um, Beel, this is a little random, but I was wondering… Who is the seventh brother? I haven’t had the chance to meet him yet and no one has really mentioned him.” Beelzebub tensed up instantly and narrowed his eyes. 

“...Now listen don’t you ever mention him in front of Lucifer,” Beelzebub warned me as he stressed the “ever.” “Just so we’re clear, I’m not going to tell you anything either. Lucifer would yell at me if I did. And don’t bother asking any of my brothers,” Beelzebub shook his head sadly. “No one talks about him… Even though he’s our brother, we have to treat him like he doesn’t exist. It’s not right,” Beelzebub softly whispered and I matched his sad expression. “But since no one can defy Lucifer…”

“Beel… I’m so sorry,” I expressed my sorrow as I reached my hand out in comfort and Beelzebub backed away as he shook his head. 

“You know what? This isn’t any of your business, human. I’m leaving,” he mumbled as he turned away. “I’ve already eaten everything there was in the refrigerator now anyway. I’m pretty sure Lucifer is hiding a poisoned apple in the desk in the study,” Beelzebub told himself as he walked off, his mood brightening at the mention of food. I lowered my head and looked down at the ground.

_What could have happened between Lucifer and the seventh brother? Gosh, I’m getting myself involved in more than I bargained for._

“Psst, hey!” A hushed voice broke me from my thoughts and I tried to look for the source of the sound. 

“Is that you, God?” I jokingly asked, trying to make myself feel better. 

“Seriously? No! Over here! Look!” I look over to see Levi crouched down under the table sitting in the center of the kitchen and I back up so that he can crawl out. 

“Um,” I raised an eyebrow as I spoke up. “Why were you hiding under there?”

“What do you think?” Levi snapped as he dusted off his light blue pajamas. “Beel was just in here! I can’t have him finding me with you, now can I?!”

“You act like the world would have ended if he did, Levi,” I said, discouraged, as I flipped back my long hair. “Whatever, we can talk about this later. Why did you want to meet here?” 

“Before I tell you,” Levi responded. “I want to make sure that it’s really true, right? Lucifer definitely used the word ‘frozen’?” I nodded as a response. “In that case,” he said slowly as he turned his attention towards the fridge. “It could be only be hidden in here.” 

“In the freezer?” I asked him with disbelief as I put my hands on my hips. “I thought Lucifer meant frozen by cutting off access for Mammon, not that the credit card was literally frozen.” Levi had already opened the freezer up and was digging through it. 

“Hmm, all I see is a bunch of ice inside,” Levi commented as I heard him dig around. “Oh wait, look!” I quickly hurried over to his side, anticipating victory. “It’s the ice cream Satan hid from Beel about a century ago. I totally forgot about that. Heh, I’m not about to tell him, though. It’d spoil the joke. He’ll probably figure out in another 2,000 years or so, I’d say.”

“I thought that you had actually found a credit card,” I sighed as I shook my head. “You got my hopes up.” 

“Fine but it’s- wait,” he gasped in shock. “There’s something else there behind the ice,” he pointed out and my gaze followed him. 

“Holy shit,” I said as I laughed. Leviathan reached into the freezer and pulled out Mammon’s credit card that was surrounded by a barrier of ice. 

“Found it!” Levi cheered in victory. “Lucifer wasn’t lying, it really IS frozen!” 

“What kind of dad joke is that?” I actually smirked a little. “Who knew that Lucifer knew how to be funny?” 

“Oof,” Levi struggled to balance it in his hands and I reached out to help him. “Ugh, it’s super heavy! And big, too! I’m gonna put it in the microwave and thaw it,” he said as I gently let go of the chunk and he walked over to the microwave. “Let’s see, I guess about two minutes on auto should do the trick.” 

“Is it even safe to put a credit card in a microwave?” I asked as Levi placed the hunk inside and started to press buttons. 

“Who knows,” he replied with a shrug. “But I’m not waiting around for it to naturally melt. Now, I’ll hit the start button and let the defrosting begin!” Levi stepped back with satisfaction after he pressed “start.” 

“What’s with all the racket you two?” We heard someone ask and we turned around to see Mammon in the doorway wearing a casual outfit. It looked like he had just arrived at the House of Lamination after a long night of partying. “HEY, wait a minute!” He gasped as he pushed past us to get to the microwave. “That looks like… Goldie, my credit card! My baby! The one thing more important to me than life itself!” Mammon yelled with absolute joy as he danced around. He stopped and pointed at his younger brother with a snappiness. “Get it outta there before the microwave demagnetizes it and makes it useless!” 

“Oops,” Levi glanced at me as I gave him a knowing look and he quickly stopped the cycle. “Better stop the defrost cycle, I guess!” 

“Levi, you idiot!” Mammon hissed as he smacked him upside the head. “How could you do somethin’ so stupid?! You’re dumb as a stump, ya know that?!” 

“That’s like the pot calling the kettle black,” I softly brought up in a melodious tone. 

“Hmm,” Levi pretended to think. “Are you SURE you should be talking to me like that, Mammon? After all, I’m the one who found the credit card Lucifer took from you.” Mammon’s eyes widened in surprise as he was taken aback. “So, do you want me to give you your card back?” Levi pulled the card out of the microwave and dangled it in front of Mammon like it was a piece of candy. 

“You’d BETTER!” Mammon paused as he changed his tone and I just shook my head tiredly at the scene before me. “Um, I mean, yes, please. Please give it back, Leviathan, sir!” Mammon fell to his knees and grasped his hands together as he begged. 

“Oh wow, this is embarrassing,” Levi commented like a fake highschool brat as he giggled. “I can’t believe that’s all it took for you to abandon your pride! You’re even down on your knees! You’re one of the seven rulers of the Devildom, Mammon. Shouldn’t you be ashamed of yourself?” 

“Hey,” I frowned. “Isn’t that enough? I think you are going too far-” Levi tossed me the card and I fumbled a little but caught it. 

“Well, whatever,” Levi continued with a dramatic sigh. “Okay then, if you want your card back, you’ve got to give me the Seraphine figurine you won at the convenience store.” Mammon had all of his attention drawn to the card in my hands but snapped his head back at Levi in confusion. 

“The Sera-what-now? What’re you talkin about? I don’t remember winnin’ anything.” Levi growled with rage as a result. 

“I don’t believe this! You forgot that you even have her, how could you?!” 

“Ugh, c’mon enough!” Mammon jumped up to his feet. “Whatever you want, I’ll give it to ya! Just give me back my credit card!” With those words, Levi grinned with delight. 

“Alright, but there’s one more condition: I want you to make a pact with this human,” Levi requested as he pointed to me and my eyes widened. 

_I haven’t even decided if I wanted a pact or not and I might already be forced into one! I should have just gone to bed when I had the chance..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	4. Chapter 4: Do Demons Obey?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia is officially in a pact with Mammon, regardless of her feelings, but he isn't any easier to manage. She's losing her patience. All she wants to focus on is getting home!

“Alright, but there’s one more condition: I want you to make a pact with this human,” Levi requested as he pointed to me and my eyes widened.

“Right, a pact, fine. I’m more than happy to do whatever you-” Mammon cheerfully agreed as if he was agreeing to take the trash out. “Wait…” He paused. “WHAT?!” He hollered as he turned his attention to me and I gulped as I clutched onto his credit card which was still surrounded by ice. “Why d’ya want me to make a PACT?!”  
“Think about it: If you make the pact with Claudia, you’ll have to do whatever you’re told, right?” Levi explained with a cunning laugh. “Then Claudia’ll order you to give me my money back immediately and since you can’t refuse a direct order from your master, you’ll do exactly that. Game over, I win!”

“Ew, don’t call me master,” I mumbled as I flexed my fingers that were starting to feel numb around the ice. 

“Pff,” Mammon slugged his body as he rolled his eyes. “I don’t believe this. It’s just money, Levi, I can’t believe you’d go through all this trouble!” 

“Excuse me?” Levi raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “Remind me again which one of us tossed aside what little pride he had left, all to get his hands on a credit card?” 

“Yeah,” I drew my words out slowly. “Levi has a point there. I don’t want to be involved in this mess, but you’re being a hypocrite.” 

“Ugh, both of you shut up. Human, what’re ya thinking lettin’ Levi use you like this?” Mammon threw his hands up in frustration. “Are you stupid?” 

“No, no I’m not,” I said sharply. “I don’t like being used, but I’ve been thinking about it and…” I took a deep breath. “I want you to make a pact with me, Mammon. Please.” My eyes became begging. 

“UH-UH, NO WAY! NOT INTERESTED!” Mammon stumbled back a little as he yelled, almost ramming his back into a kitchen counter. “I am the Great Mammon, Avatar of Greed, one of the seven rulers of the Devildom! Fool, do you actually think I’d let some human be the boss of me?”

“Yes..?” I said slowly as I hunched up a little.

“Oh, Luuucifeer!” Levi called out into the hall nearby. “Mammon’s here unfreezing his credit card!” Mammon instantly panicked and almost jumped into my arms eagerly. 

“I mean, of course, I’ll make a pact with you, human! I’d be thrilled to!”

“It’s Claudia,” I said out of habit now more than annoyance as I held out my hand to shake his. He eagerly shook my hand and I tossed him his frozen boulder of money. I winched a little in pain as a circle of bright light submerged me and left a marking on the back of my left hand. I watched the glowing yellow symbol slowly fade away. I rubbed my hand a little, feeling as if I was just branded.

“Woah,” I said as my eyes widened and I looked at Mammon with surprise. I had really done it. I had made a pact with Mammon. 

“AHAHAH!” Asmodeus wheezed with laughter as he beat the dining room table with delight.

“Asmodeus,” Satan snapped with a hushed aggravation at his brother, “Keep your voice down. If Mammon hears you, he’ll get upset again, and we won’t hear the end of it.” 

It was the next day and most of us were surrounding the dining room table eating breakfast. I was fiddling with my fork, embarrassed and wondering if I was going to regret my actions

“Eh, he won’t be awake for a while,” Asmodeus waved away Satan’s concerns. “He’s really not a morning demon, you know? And anyway,” he giggled as he struggled to hold back a snort. “How can you NOT laugh after what’s happened? I mean, this is Mammon, and yet a human was able to play him like a fiddle and force him into a pact.” Even Satan let out a light laugh. “Hey,” Asmodeus grinned as he pointed at his brother. “I hear you laughing, Satan! I know you think it’s funny too!” 

I sighed, hating the fact that I totally manipulated Mammon into making a pact. I glanced over at Beelzebub, who was on his 8th plate, mumbling to himself. 

“Mm, this is delicious. The meat is so tender…” Levi, who was sitting next to his impatient, scowled at him.

“Beel, calm down. You’re biting off chunks of your plate along with your food.” I weakly giggled at Beelzebub and then yawned. Staying up late last night was biting me in the butt. I searched for salvation from the cup of tea that I held close to my chest. Asmodeus turned his attention towards me as he placed his cheek up against his hand. 

“Anyway, I have to say that I’m surprised,” he admitted to me. “I never thought an average human like you would be able to make a pact with Mammon- certainly not THIS fast. I guess they really did know what they were doing when they picked you for the exchange program, huh?” Asmodeus fluttered as eyelashes at me as he spoke.

“Trust me,” I shrugged. “I didn’t think that I would be able to do it either.” 

_ I still can’t believe that I managed to do it. My heart aches a little when I think about how embarrassed Mammon must be- but you know what? Fuck that! I hate being understated just because I am a little human girl.  _

“Well, I guess it could simply be beginner’s luck, yes…” Satan brought up.

“All I know is that I finally got Mammon to give me back my money,” Levi put his hands behind his head, all proud and pleased with himself. “I couldn’t ask for a better outcome! Epic win for Leviathan! I should’ve rounded up a random human and done this sooner!” I bitterly frowned at that comment as if I just tasted something bad and Levi started to fan over the fact that he would get to buy “ _ Little She-Devil or whatever”  _ now. 

“You know,” Asmodeus spoke as soon as Leviathan was done. “I find it surprising enough that Claudia managed to make a pact with Mammon but what’s even more shocking is the team up with Levi that helped make it happen. Don’t you think?” He asked Satan. 

“Yep,” he nodded back. “I never thought I’d see the day that a human won over Levi, but here we are.” I smiled a little as I looked over at Levi who was becoming several shades of red. 

“Excuse me?!” He gasped, flustered, as he covered his mouth with his hand and looked away. “Don’t go getting the wrong idea. Nobody won me over! Our interests just happened to align, that’s all! The relationship was purely business! Why would I want anything to do with some girl normie of a human that wears nice makeup and has a pretty smile- I uh, wouldn’t! I mean, I’m spoken for!” I felt myself quietly laugh as I blushed. As annoyed as I got with Levi and his ramblings I couldn’t help but find his blushing face… cute. “I’m no cheater! M-M-My one true love is-”

“Cheeseburgers,” Beelzebub said dreamily and I cackled a little.

“No!” Levi jumped from his chair. “That’s YOUR one true love, Beel!” 

“Mm,” Beelzebub looked like he was about to drool. “I get hungry just thinking about them.” 

“You know,” Asmodeus decided to play Devil’s advocate. “The way things are going, the rest of us might just find ourselves in a pact with Claudia as well if we’re not careful. If you had your choice,” he addressed me. “Which one of us would you forge a pact with next, Claudia?”

“Oh gosh, um,” I played with my nails as I prayed for the meal to be over soon. “I don’t really have any insane ambitions.” 

_ I just want to find a way home and try not to die while I’m here.  _

“Hm, well, I’m just letting you know,” Asmodeus warned me seriously. “You won’t be able to tame us as easily as you did Mammon, Claudia. In fact, it would be quite offensive of you to ever think that we’re as stupid as that poor excuse of a demon.” 

“Mammon’s not stupid,” I started to argue. “He just-” 

“OW!” Asmodeus gasped as a hand smacked the back of his head. Mammon was standing over him with a grumpy stance. “Why’d you hit me?!” Asmodeus whined as he glared up at his brother. “I can’t believe you actually STRUCK my beautiful, beautiful head! Not even Lucifer has ever done something like that! Why are you always getting so VIOLENT with me, Mammon?!” 

“That,” Mammon grunted as he grabbed an apple from the table and bit into it. “Was for callin’ me a poor excuse for a demon, you peabrain! Actually, I ought to hit all of ya,” Mammon shook the apple in his hand with anger. “With the way you talk about me. Y’all think you’re so great.” 

“It’s not that we think we’re so great,” Satan sighed. 

“No, not at all,” Asmodeus added. “We just think that you’re a complete and utter fool.” 

“Hey,” I stood up, done with my breakfast. “That’s not very nice.” I picked up my briefcase that was sitting beside my chair.

“Yeah,” Mammon hollered. “Don’t treat me like I’m stupid!” 

“Oh, but I’m afraid that’s one thing that’s not going to change,” Satan stated as if his words were fact and Asmodeus agreed. 

“Serves you right, Mammon! Lolol,” Leviathan laughed as he prevented Beel from accidentally eating the table cloth. 

“Did you just actually say ‘lol’ instead of laughing?” I asked Levi as I adjusted my uniform jacket, ready to leave. 

“I hate every last one of you!” Mammon ranted. “None of this would’ve happened to begin with if it weren’t for that bastard Lucifer! It’s all because he took my credit card from me! Just snatched Goldie away- kidnapped her against her will!” 

“Mammon, I think you’ve been single for too long because I don’t think anyone gives their credit card a name,” I shook my head. These brothers would be the death of me. I could sympathize with Lucifer. 

“Yeah,” Levi shivered. “Talking about your credit card like it’s a person is gross.”

“Mmhm, it really is,” Asmodeus uncomfortably nodded. 

“ALL OF YA SHUT UP!” Mammon yelled, flustered, and continued to ramble about Lucifer and how he couldn’t believe that he actually froze the credit card. “Is that some sorta dad joke?! ‘Cause if so, it was awfully lame!” I giggled as I nodded. 

“That’s what I asked when I first saw it. It’s kind of cheesy, but I actually thought it was funny.” 

“Well,” Mammon shrugged, not realizing that Lucifer was entering the dining room. “He may not be a dad, but he’s pretty old, isn’t he? I guess I shouldn’t be surprised-” Mammon laughed as Lucifer stood directly behind him.

“Ahahahaha…” Lucifer darkly laughed and I watched as all of the color drained from Mammon’s face. “I’m glad at least one person appreciates my humor,” He said calmly with the scariest expression ever. Mammon jumped away from Lucifer as he screamed. Lucifer quickly grabbed Mammon by the back of his shirt color and I winched as I watched him KO Mammon with a sharp chop to the head. 

“Ow! Hey, what’s the big idea?!” Mammon squirmed around in Lucifer’s grasp. “You didn’t have to hit me THAT hard!” 

“You know,” Asmodeus pitifully whispered to me and Satan. “He’s so stupid that it’s almost sad.” 

“Mmhm,” Satan nodded. “I can’t believe he’s actually our brother. It’s almost like we’re being punished or something.” 

“Hey, I heard that-!” Mammon protested and Lucifer let him go, pushing him towards my direction.

“I heard what happened, Claudia,” Lucifer said with a face I couldn’t quite read. “Apparently you outfoxed a certain dimwit of a demon and forged a pact with him,” Mammon yelled about being called a dimwit as Lucifer talked over him. “Your opponent may have been stupid, but even so, you’ve only just arrived. It’s a real accomplishment managing a feat like that in such a short span of time. Well done,” Lucifer praised me as he smiled. “I imagine Diavolo will be pleased as well. We continue to expect big things from you.” Mammon blushed embarrassed as he walked past me.

“Hey, human-” 

“Claudia,” I corrected him. 

“Ugh, yeah, yeah- C’mon, time to get going!” I turned around and followed him.

“Hey, I was about to leave anyway so don’t act like I was the one holding us up,” I argued. Once we left the dining hall and were alone, Mammon let out a deep sigh. 

“Seriously, what’s with that guy?” Mammon was obviously vexed. “He can’t go a single minute without bringin’ up Diavolo. It’s always Diavolo this, Diavolo that. If Diavolo told you to go jump off a cliff to your death, would ya do THAT too, Lucifer?! Huh?!” Mammon paused and turned around to look at me. “Ya know what? Knowin him, he probably would.” 

“Mammon, I don’t know if I should ask this,” I said hesitantly as we entered the entrance hall. “But what is the relationship between Lucifer and Diavolo. I know Lucifer acts as Diavolo’s right-hand man, but is there something more?”

“Hmph, well I wouldn’t be surprised if the two of them were sleeping together!” Mammon grunted as he swung the front door open. “Anyway, ever since you got here human-”

“Claudia.”

“It’s been nothin’ but one bad thing after another for me!” I closed the front door of House Lamination behind us as I stepped outside. “So let’s get somethin’ straight,” Mammon tried to act all intimidating and I couldn’t help but make a joke to myself. 

_ Me and straight don’t go together- shut up Claudia, focus.  _

“I didn’t make this pact cause I wanted to, and I ain’t happy about it! Everything I did, I did for my credit card- for my baby Goldie!” Mammon stabbed a finger into my chest and I felt my cheeks flush with frustration. “If you end up gettin yourself eaten by some demon here at RAD, don’t blame me, cause I don’t give a damn.” That was it. “You got that?! Don’t go thinkin’ you’re all great and stuff just cause you managed to make some stupid pact, human!” 

“Mammon, that is enough,” I stepped away from him. “Would you please call me by my name- it’s as if you are purposefully calling me human so you can constantly remind me that I am somehow lesser than you or whatever- so please, stop.” 

“Well,” he looked embarrassed as he smiled. “Since you finally asked all nice and stuff, I guess I can’t really say no. Alright, I’ll call you by your name-” His expression instantly changed. “Pff, just kiddin’! You actually thought that it would work this time! You’re an idiot. You are still expecting ME to call you by your name? You, a lowly human? Ha! Come back and ask me in another million years and maybe I’ll consider it! You’d better learn your place cause if you keep sayin stuff like that, swear I’ll make you my next meal. Startin’ at your head and workin my way down!” I was absolutely furious as I felt myself grind my teeth and ball up my fists. 

_ Manners be damned because I’m about to fuck up this selfish prick, _ I yelled inside of my head.  _ I don’t give a shit!  _

“Eh, what’s wrong?” Mammon was circling me as he pushed all my buttons. “Am I that intimidating? Do I frighten you? If you just stop talkin’ back and just don what I tell you then-” 

“Shut the fuck up, Mammon,” I snapped. “Stay!” I yelled as the symbol on the back of my hand glowed a bright yellow. Mammon’s eyes widened as he struggled to move. His mouth wouldn’t even open. 

“H-hey!” He finally opened his mouth. “What’s going on,? Is this some kind of magic, h-h-... Claudia?” He said weakly before getting angry again. “Damnit! Don’t tell me this is all cause of the pact?! Now you listen to me!” He screeched as he struggled. I crossed my arms without any sympathy. “You may control my body, but not my mind! I’m my own boss and I always will be! Don’t you ever forget that!” I just yawned as I hummed. “Huma- Claudia,” he became desperate. “Claudia my boss! No, no, Your Majesty Claudia!”

_ Hmm,  _ I couldn’t help but smile to myself as I pondered.  _ Maybe I won’t regret making a pact after all. I might not have to worry about dying here after all… Now, my next step is to find my way home! _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	5. Chapter 5: Do Demons Dance?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia starts on her tasks for RAD and they end up being way different than she imagined. She also meets some other interesting characters at RAD... are they potential friends or just another distraction that prevents her from focusing on escaping the Devildom?

“Wait, we’re doing what now?” I asked as I twisted my ponytail around my finger. 

“We’re dancing,” Asmodeus clapped his hands together as he explained. “Why, what did you think we were doing?” Asmodeus asked as he adjusted one of his leg warmers. Asmodeus looked like he had jumped out of an old 80s dance video with what he was wearing: a fuzzy headband, a hot pink leotard, tights, legwarmers, and heels. It was gaudy, but damn, he sure made it work.

“Well,” I hesitated as I looked to Lucifer for answers. “When I was told that I would have to do tasks I didn’t think that would mean that I would have a dance class twice a week.” 

“I understand your confusion,” Lucifer nodded at me as he spoke. “But think about the benefits of dancing, not only does it keep you physically sharp, but it sharpens the mind by easing anxiety and lifting moods.” Unlike Asmodeus, Lucifer was wearing black sweatpants and a simple grey shirt. 

“I know that,” I admitted as I bounced from one foot to another. I had on athletic clothing and nude jazz shoes. “I’m pleasantly surprised, actually. Before coming here, I took a dance class in school and it really um,” I paused wondering if the brothers would even care. “Helped me a lot,” I finished vaguely. 

“Really?” Satan seemed curious as he spoke up. He was sitting down on a bench nearby tying his ballet slippers. “What types of styles did you cover?” 

“We covered ballet, jazz, tap, and we were supposed to get to contemporary but we never had the chance to,” I responded and noticed his eyes light up a little when I said ballet. “I really enjoyed it all, especially tap.” 

“Well, tap’s obviously the best, ain’t nothing beats it!” Mammon smiled as he entered the dance studio, his taps loudly clapping against the hard flooring. 

“Mammon,” Lucifer snapped, “Where have you been? The four of us have been waiting on you.” I offered a smile and a wave to Mammon. He nodded towards my direction as he gulped.

“Well, uh, my modelin’ gig went on longer than I expected. The camera just couldn’t get enough of me! And hey, why did I gotta come but not Beel and Levi?” 

“You idiot,” Asmodeus sighed as he fluffed his hair while looking at the tall mirrors that covered an entire wall. “You’re the only one that knows tap and you actually like it, so of course you have to help with the tasks.” 

“Levi would rather die than workout and Beel prefers cardio to dancing,” Satan explained to me. “So we had to go with the scumbag.” 

“Thank you for coming, I know how busy you must be,” I praised Mammon with a smile and he blushed a little. It had been a few days since I made my pact with him and after putting my foot down, he had significantly become more manageable. He mumbled about how “it was nothin” and I turned my attention to Lucifer. “Wait, so when you told me that you and your brother would lend me your power, did you just mean that you would lend me your dancing ability? What does magic have to do with dancing?” 

“By abilities, I do mean our natural powers,” Lucifer explained as he hooked up his D.D.D. to a speaker that was sitting in the corner. “But yes, we will be teaching you different moves and dances. Shall we start?” He softly smiled as he turned on some music.

For the first time in a while, I actually really enjoyed myself as I danced with the demons brothers. It was already getting late as we left the dance studio in a group, walking our way back to House Lamination for dinner. 

“I can’t believe that you can dance in such tall heels,” I expressed my admiration towards Asmodeus as we walked. “Heels and I don’t have a good relationship at all, my feet are delicate and tear really easily. The last time I wore heels, I had blisters all over my feet; it took weeks for my feet to completely recover.” 

“That’s a shame,” Asmodeus gasped. “Well, I adore heels, they go perfect with dresses and I look sooo good in dresses.” He bragged as he spun around a little. 

_ Asmodeus is so fabulous that I’m not surprised that he has a preference for dresses _ , I thought with a giggle.

“I’m sure you do look good in dresses, they would look stunning with your figure,” I complimented him and he seemed pleased. 

“Claudia,” Lucifer spoke up, changing the subject. “You seem to be in a rather pleased mood, did you enjoy yourself today?” I happily nodded, a little carefree. 

“I’m not the best dancer and I’ve never been very flexible, but yes I did. I feel relaxed when I dance and it’s a good skill to have, especially for theatre.”

“Theatre? What’s that got to do with anything?” Mammon asked as he scratched his head. We could see the silhouette of House Lamination in the distance. 

“Oh well,” I got a little excitable as I spoke. “I really love anything theatre-related and I’ve been in a lot of productions and musicals. There’s a lot of dancing in musicals, so it’s handy to know how to pick up dance moves quickly.”

“So you’re an actor,” Satan said as he joined the conversation. 

“That’s right,” I smiled. “I’ve played a few major roles and have even received some awards before. Acting is one of my biggest passions. Is theatre big in the Devildom? I haven’t heard anything about it here.” 

“It’s more popular in the human realm, I’m afraid,” Satan explained with disappointment. “There aren’t even any theatre-related events at RAD.”

_Really? That’s a shame… If I am going to be stuck here for a while until I can find a way home, I at least would like to be a part of a production_ , I thought as my mood dampened.  Lucifer noticed the distress on my face and offered a suggestion: 

“Perhaps I could speak to Diavolo about the academy’s involvement with theatre and we could decide on a production during the next student council meeting.” 

“Really?” I gasped and had to resist the urge to hug the stoic Lucifer. “That would be amazing, I would take complete responsibility for the production, too.” Lucifer chuckled a little in return. 

“Someone’s eager, aren’t they?” Lucifer glanced down at me with such a charming expression that I had to look away, my face heating up like fire. It took all night for me to finally calm down as I cursed myself for easily falling under the spell of such attractive demons. 

_ If I can get Diavolo’s approval for a production, what type should I recommend? Improv is the easiest to teach and takes up the least amount of time but requires the highest amount of skill.  _ I was staring outside a window the next day inside one of my classes thinking. It had only been around a week since I had arrived in the Devildom and I was still adjusting to such a sudden and radical change. However, it was nice to have a distraction on my mind that was something else besides thinking about unrealistic escape plans. 

“Did you hear the news?” I blinked a few times as I snapped back to reality once I heard a conversation nearby. Two demons were gossiping to each other like catty teenagers. “Apparently that human forged a pact with Mammon.” I tensed up at the mention of me, ‘the human.’ 

“Seriously?” The other scoffed in response. “I don’t get it. Why forge a pact with an ordinary human?” I sighed, ready to get up and leave in annoyance. Before I could, someone casually set down their gloved hand in front of me and I looked up to see a charming and dignified man with teal hair.

“Huh,” he spoke up with a reserved devilishness. “Whenever you make an important announcement, the demons here couldn’t care less. But rumors, they really do spread like wildfire.” He shook his head as he continued. “Just when I thought the uproar about the new exchange student from the human world had started to subside some, now they’re all freaking out about this.” He looked down at me and raised an eyebrow. Diavolo walked up from behind him. 

“Come now, don’t say that, Barbatos,” He seemed a little disappointed at his comrade. “Actually, I’d say that all this gossip is a good thing,” Diavolo smiled at me. “It means that everyone will be watching this human, which makes it hard for any demon to go after Claudia’s soul when no one is looking, isn’t that right Claudia?” 

“Oh goodie, I sure hope that will be the cause, Lord Diavolo.” Lucifer who was sitting nearby joined into the conversation with an unhappy air to him.

“Yes, since Mammon’s not doing a very good job as a guardian.” He crossed his arms, annoyed beyond belief. “I told him that he was to look after Claudia, but he’s off somewhere shirking his responsibilities. It was a struggle to even convince him to help Claudia with her tasks yesterday… Though I figured this would happen.” 

_ Then why was Mammon assigned as my babysitter?  _

“I must say,” Diavolo laughed his usual jolly chuckle. “I can’t believe you managed to forge a pact with Mammon, Claudia. That’s no small feat. And what’s more, you did it in such a short time.”

“I suppose it stands as proof that you chose well bringing this human here, Lord Diavolo,” Barbatos gently smiled at his Lord. 

“Thank you, Diavolo,” I politely smiled at the demon lord before looking at the person next to him that had started the conversation. “Excuse me, but who are you? I don’t believe that we have met yet.” 

“Ah yes pardon me. I suppose we haven’t met before, have we?” The stranger held out a hand and I stood from my seat to shake it. “My name is Barbatos. I apologize for not introducing myself sooner. I have the honor of serving as steward to Lord Diavolo. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” I smiled and nodded at the charming steward. 

“It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Barbatos.” 

“Barbatos here is a smart and talented individual,” Lucifer informed me. “So much so that I wish I could trade a certain idiot brother of mine for him instead.”

“Well, as for your brother,” Barbatos offered with wise words, “In the human world, it is sometimes said that a truly wise man does not flaunt his talents. He keeps them secret.”

“Yes, but then again, an incompetent fool doesn’t actually have any talents to begin with,” Lucifer snapped back. 

“Well, I’ve heard it said that the most thick-headed child is always the cutest!” Diavolo cheerfully chimed in. 

_ Mammon is pretty cute- woah, woah, woah- I should not feel this way about the asshole who refused to call me my name for the first few days here _ , I thought as I fiddled with my hair, not trusting myself to speak up. 

“Stop it, Diavolo,” Lucifer groaned at his friend. “It’s troublesome enough having him as my younger brother, but my child? Him? I don’t even want to think about it.” 

“Well, to be fair, if you did have children I know that they would look absolutely adorable,” I smiled as I spoke, not even thinking about what I said. 

“Ah, I agree, and Lucifer… I couldn’t help but notice that you didn’t deny the part about him being cute, did you?” An unfamiliar voice brought up and my attention was guided to a dashing man wearing tight clothing. He had beautiful smooth skin, ocean blue eyes, and a soft smile. He almost seemed angelic. “If I might offer my own opinion, out of your seven brothers, you’re without a doubt the most troublesome, Lucifer.” 

_ My goodness, why is everyone here so attractive? Is it the sinfulness?  _

“Is that meant as a compliment, Simeon?” Lucifer asked. He apparently knew this person.

“Pff, of course not! Duh!” A high voice protested and a small boy stepped out from behind Simeon. He had on much more conservative clothes than Simeon but the style was very similar. I noticed both of their outfits weren’t RAD uniforms. “That was a put-down! An insult! He’s taunting you!” 

“Ah,” Lucifer glared down at the small child. “ I see you’ve brought your chihuahua along with you.” The child became even more upset as he took Lucifer’s bait. 

“I am NOT a chihuahua! How many times do I have to tell you that, demon?!” 

_ Wait,  _ I thought carefully,  _ these must be the angel exchange students based on how they act and dress. I’m sure this situation is more awkward for them than it is for me. I can only assume that demons and angels don’t mix.  _

“Well, what do you expect?” Lucifer smirked down at the child, pleased with his reaction. “I am a demon after all. Now then, stop yipping at me. C’mere boy, shake! Who’s a good boy?” Lucifer asked as he bent down a little. I sighed as the child protested about being called a dog and gently grabbed my stuff, ready to leave. I was hoping that I could get some introductions so I could dismiss myself for lunch. I was feeling a little drained and I needed a pick-me-up. As if able to read my mind, Diavolo spoke up.

“Allow me to introduce you, Claudia. This,” he nodded at the taller and attractive Simeon. “Is Simeon. He’s an exchange student from the Celestial Realm. Which is to say, he’s an angel.”

“Why hello, Claudia. I’ve heard a lot of rumors,” Simeon greeted with a little laugh. I laughed a little myself.

“Oh boy, I’m sure you have. It’s nice to meet you, Simeon,” I smiled at him with a newfound energy. “I hope you don’t mind my excitement, but I have never met an angel before- I definitely have some questions to ask you later.” 

“And this,” Diavolo looked down at the child- which I was reconsidering the concept that he was actually a child- “Is Luke. Let’s see you’re… a chihuahua, was it?” He jokingly asked. “Or are you an angel?” 

“Wha-” Luke furiously blushed. “Diavolo, now YOU’RE getting in on the act, too?! I am NOT a chihuahua! I’m an angel! Listen up! As you can probably tell,” he told me, “I’m a low-ranking angel. BUT I’ll have you know that in the Celestial Realm I report directly to Michael the Archangel, as-”

“Luke, calm down,” Simeon said slowly as he placed a hand on Luke’s shoulder. “You need to learn not to make such a huge fuss about everything.” 

“But Simeon-!” Luke whined back at his senior. 

“He’s right,” Lucifer interrupted. “That’s exactly why people call you a chihuahua, you know?”

“Usually the only one who calls me chihuahua is YOU, Lucifer!” Luke barked. 

“Well Luke,” I stepped in to calm him down. “It’s so nice to meet you as well and I think that it is extremely impressive that you report to Michael! Your job must be very important.” 

“That’s right!” Luke eagerly nodded. “It is!” 

“I hate to interrupt,” Barbatos spoke as he glanced at his pocket watch, “But it’s nearly time for the bell to sound.”

“Yes, you’re right,” Simeon nodded as he glanced over Barbatos’ shoulder before looking at me. “I apologize for any trouble we’ve caused, Claudia.” 

“Oh no, don’t worry!” I waved my hands a little bit. “You haven’t troubled me at all. In fact, I’m glad that I’ve got the chance to meet both of you.”

“In any event, I’m relieved to see that things seem to be going well for you, Claudia” Divaolo told me before leaving. Lucifer and Barbatos started to follow him.

“Claudia, look after Mammon for me, would you?” Lucifer asked as he called over his shoulder.

“Now I’m in charge of looking at him?” I weakly asked myself. 

“As I remember it,” Barbatos brought up to Lucifer. “Mammon was supposed to be the one looking after Claudia, correct?” 

“Yes, that’s how I remember it as well. Your point?” Lucifer snapped before completely leaving the room. Simeon kindly waved at me before following the trio. Luke and I were the only ones to remain. He seemed like he really had something to say. 

“Never trust- mmhmmm.” Luke frowned as he looked away.

“I’m sorry,” I looked concerned as I spoke, leaning down towards him. “I didn’t quite catch what you said. Could you repeat that?” 

“Hey! Don’t lean down toward me like an adult listening to a child!” Luke balled his fists up as he blushed. “You don’t need to come down to my level! I’m not a kid!” 

“Oh, shit, sorry,” I backed up, straightening up my back. “I wasn’t trying to. Please continue.” 

“Never trust a demon,” Luke warned me gravely. “Especially when that demon is Lucifer, Listen to me, he’s a monster and a brute. He’s uncivilized, immoral, and… and also-”

“And also a sadist?” I playfully raised an eyebrow. “Don’t worry, I’ve noticed.” I giggled.

“Yes, that’s it- exactly! He’s the most sadistic of sadists!” Luke sighed as he shook his head before continuing. “I was against this from the beginning. What are they thinking, bringing humans to the Devildom as exchange students? So, you’ve been warned. You get what I’m saying, right?” I nodded. “Okay.” Luke quickly glanced around before hurrying off. I was left alone with my thoughts. 

_ Or maybe I should put on a Shakespearean play? Everyone likes Shakespeare.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	6. Chapter 6: Do Demons Hide Secrets?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia ends up becoming bothered by Luke's words and when she starts hearing a stranger's voice that lures her towards the attic, her feelings become even more complicated.

The lure of sleep could not capture me as I laid in bed, tossing and turning as I clutched my stuffed bear close to my chest. I was comfortable, it was late, and my room was silent yet that all was pointless. My mind was wide awake.

_ I can’t stop thinking about what Luke told me earlier… I know not to trust demons. Even as a nonreligious person who doesn’t believe that something can be inherently evil, I know that I am just prey in the eyes of powerful demons just because I am a human. However, the brothers have welcomed me into their home and must agree with Diavolo’s views… right? Why should I completely distrust them? And Lucifer, did Luke target him because Lucifer teases him?  _

“...el…”

“...elp…”

“What?” I mumbled as I slowly sat up in my bed as I rubbed my eyes. 

“Help…”

“Someone help me…”

Against my better judgment, I swung my legs over and stood up, dragging myself out of my room to find the source of the voice. If someone truly needed help, guilt would have eaten me up my entire life if I did not do anything. I was drawn to a spiral staircase that led up to a floor that I had not explored. I remember during the tour that Lucifer gave me, he had disclosed to me that it led up to the attic. The discussion had ended there. 

“Help…Over here!” The voice was louder. I knew that it was coming from upstairs. It had to be. 

“Claudia.” I tensed up as I quickly turned around to see Lucifer standing behind me. I ignored the fact that I was embarrassed by my appearance that consisted of an oversize NASA t-shirt and messy hair. 

“Oh my, haha… Good evening, Lucifer. You scared me,” I awkwardly glanced down at the floor before looking back up at his frowning face. 

“Claudia, stop right there. You’ll go no farther- that’s not a place for humans. It’s dangerous.” He softly scolded me.”Go back to your room.” 

“It’s dangerous?” I questioned, my curiosity working against me. “Why should I go back to my room?”

“I just told you why. That’s isn’t a place humans should enter,” Lucifer explained to me as he looked upwards, faint moonlight casting a shadow on his face. “This is the Devildom. There are certain rules that must be followed here. Also,” he stepped closer to me and I shivered at his cold stare. “My word is law to you. You can’t defy me.” He placed his hands on my shoulders and turned me around. “Now then, go on. Back to your room.” 

“O-okay, yes sir…” I blushed with shame as I hurried off. “ _ Never trust a demon _ ” echoed in my head as I made my way through the dark.  _ “Especially when that demon is Lucifer.”  _

Apparently I must have been cursed because me, a full-blooded Robinson, couldn’t sleep again the next night. Robinsons were absolutely notorious in my family for their love and ability to sleep. I was about to tough it out and attempt to force myself to sleep again but a sneaky little voice in my head had other ideas. 

_ Hey, what if I tried to go up to the attic again? I don’t think I can think about escaping until I know that whatever is going on up there is not harming anyone. If I just ignore it, my neutrality could seriously do some damage. Surely I won’t bump into Lucifer again, right? _

“What’s going on, Claudia? Out for a stroll?” 

I slowly turned around with tense shoulders and an awkward expression. Wrong I was. 

“Oh hey, Lucifer!” My voice was way too high and threatened to crack. 

“I keep running into you here, don’t I?” Lucifer smirked knowingly. “It seems you are really curious about what’s at the top of this staircase. Unless I’m mistaken,” his voice became lower as his expression darkened. “I believe I told you that it’s not a place humans have any business going. If you can’t sleep,” Lucifer suggested as he led me away from the staircase with a hand on my back, “Perhaps I should make you some tea? Something that will help you have a good night’s sleep.”

“That would be nice, thank you.” I meekly replied. 

“But you should probably know,” his grip tightened. “That it’s a bit too effective on humans, to the point that you may find that you never wake up again.” His lips leaned up to my ear and I felt his hot breath against my ear as he whispered: “You get what I’m saying here, right? Go back to your room. Goodnight, Claudia.” Extremely scared and slightly attracted, I left the room sure that there was no way that I would even get close to the staircase unless I did something about Lucifer. 

“Why do I gotta be stuck here with you first thing in the morning having to look at your smug face while I’m tryin’ to eat my breakfast?” Mammon sighed as he slumped down in his chair. “To us demons, eating a human like you is a special sorta treat, understand?” 

“Yes, yes,” I mumbled. “I know that I’m just prey to you and-” 

“Yet I’m not allowed to do that. I’ve gotta sit here and eat my breakfast instead-” 

“A breakfast that I made.” I crossed my arms as I looked at his grumpy form next to me.

“But it’s like havin’ a premium-grade roast Iriomote musk hog right in front of me. Medium rare, cooked to perfection. But I can’t have it. Instead I’m sitting here eatin’ scrambled hawk eggs and dried blackbelly newt legs… I mean, I’m not sayin’ blackbelly newt legs and eggs are bad. I actually like ‘em, but still.” 

“Wow, should I be flattered? The GREAT Mammon deems me worthy enough to eat! What a thrill! I love being viewed as only food!” I threw my hands up a little, my voice dripping with sarcasm. 

“And what’s even worse is that thick, juicy hunk of meat has started giving me orders now, like it’s the boss of me or somethin’,” Mammon grunted. 

“I have not bossed you around that much, Mammon-”

“But it’s REALLY not fun. I mean, what sick kind of torture is this, anyway?!” I chose to disregard Mammon’s words for my own sanity as I rubbed my temples gently, careful not to get my makeup foundation all over my fingers. 

“Where is everyone else, Mammon?” I yawned as I asked. I desperately wanted to change the subject and I thought it was curious how only the two of us were at the table. It was a shame, after all, I had been the one that prepared breakfast and I felt pretty accomplished from my efforts. 

“How should I know? Asmodeus probably stayed up all night known’ him and the others, who knows. “But hey, pay attention when I’m talkin’ to ya, dunce! Don’t try to change the subject. Anyway,” Mammon shrugged as he simmered down a little. “I’m sure the others have already scurried off to class and left me to look after ya on my own, the punks. Dammit,” he frowned as he glanced away from me. “They’re all rotten, every last one of ‘em. This all comes back to Lucifer!” I mindlessly listened to Mammon as I plopped some berries in my mouth. “Getting stuck having to look after a human, ending up in a pact, everything bad is his fault!” Mammon continued to rant on even more about his brothers and when he finally took a moment to breathe I spoke up. 

“Hey Mammon, what’s up the top of the stairs? You know, the one that leads up to what looks to be an attic,” I used my fork to point upward as I stared at the ceiling. 

“HEY, I TOLD you to LISTEN to me when I’m TALKIN’ to you! I was tryin’ to tell you about- wait, what stairs?” He paused for a moment. “Ugh, oh man, there you go again, stickin’ your nose where it doesn't belong.” 

“It’s my nature to be curious,” I replied as I finished the last of my food. 

“Yeah, well it’s annoying. Now listen, do you know the secret to getting people to tell you stuff? Go ahead, tell me,” Mammon waited for my reply. 

“Money?” I asked as if it was a trick question.

“EXACTLY! Now THAT’S what I’m talkin’ about! I guess you DO get it! If ya wanna pry valuable information outta someone, you’ve got to offer ‘em proper compensation! Wait a second,” Mammon became suspicious of me as he spoke, “Uh-oh, I know what this is about! You tried to climb those stairs, but Lucifer stopped you, right? That’s totally it, isn’t it?”

“I mean, basically. You’ve hit the nail on the head,” I admitted as I nodded. “It didn’t go so well…” 

“Well, then there’s something you really need to get straight now,” Mammon said, his tone serious. “If you think you can just offer Mammon here a little bit of money and he’ll spill the beans, you’re dead wrong. I mean, pretend I told you somethin’ I shouldn’t.”

“Yikes,” I tensed up my face.

“Yeah yikes, Lucifer would beat me half to death. Actually,” Mammon gulped as he shivered in fear. ‘I’d be lucky if that’s all he did. If I WEREN’T lucky, he’d have me eliminated. It’d take a good two hundred million years to recover from that. Still, if you’re bound and determined to by this information off of me…” That got my attention and I glued my eyes to Mammon. “Then you’ll have to offer me, let’s see… How about the monetary equivalent of the world’s total oil production? Two hundred million years’ worth. That might do it. In other words, I ain’t gonna tell ya. Is that clear enough for ya blockhead?” I shot him a death glare before inspiration hit me. I attempted to hide my grin as I spoke. 

“Oh, well I didn’t realize that you were afraid of Lucifer, huh.” 

“WHAT?!” Mammon just about jumped out of his chair and went into defense mode. “Woah, what’d you just say? You think I’M actually afraid of Lucifer?! Me, the Avatar of Greed?” I just shrugged as my grin tugged at the corners of my mouth, threatening to widen. “You’ve gotta be kidding! I’m not the least bit afraid of him, got it? Not even a little!” 

“Mmm, I don’t know if I believe you.” I studied my nails, unbothered. “Be honest, you’re scared, aren’t you?” 

_ Please fall for my bullshit, please fall for my bullshit, pleasepleaseplease-  _

“I told you, I’m not!” Mammon struggled as he defended his honor. “I mean, that’s crazy! Listen now, most of the time, I don’t let people see the full extent of power!” 

“Oh yeah?” I raised an eyebrow, enjoying this situation way too much. 

“What I’m sayin’ is that even if I did face off against someone like Lucifer, I wouldn’t even have to use all of my strength to win! Understand?!”

_ Here’s the moment of truth, oh gosh, here I go! _

I kept my cool with my next words: “Then tell me what’s up those stairs.” 

“All right, fine! I will!” Mammon stood up, a gusto within him. “You can’t get up the stairs because Lucifer’s blocking the way, right?! You need to do somethin’ to get rid of him, right?! Well, guess what?” Mammon yelled to the mostly empty room. “Distracting Lucifer is easy as pie! Listen up, cause I’m only gonna say this once, so, clean the wax outta your ears for a change and pay attention! You know that series Levi likes? What was it called... Um,” Mammon frowned as he experienced a brain fart. “ _Tale of the Seven… Seven-_ _Seven Ways to Get Rich Quick…!_ ” I giggled, covering my mouth with my hand. “Wait no, that’s the book I was readin’ the other day.” 

“Mammon, it’s  _ The Tale of the Seven Lords _ ,” I rolled my eyes a little with a smile. 

“Right, yeah. That’s the one. Anyway, you need to get your hands on a vinyl edition copy of the soundtrack for that Tale of the Seven whatsawhosit-” 

“- _ The Tale of the Seven Lords _ -” I quickly corrected him. 

“Yeah, if you have that, you can use it to distract Lucifer no problem!” Mammon puffed his chest out with pride after explaining his master plan. 

“Seriously?” I blinked several times, surprised and intrigued. 

“Don’t ask why,” Mammon shrugged, not getting it either. “Cause I’ve got no idea why Lucifer’s interested in somethin like that either. But if you wanna climb those stairs, you’re gonna have to start by gettin’ your hands on that soundtrack.” 

“Can you help me do it?” I softly asked, knowing that he would probably say no. 

“Wha?” Mammon snorted, surprised I even asked. “I don’t understand, why should I help you? If ya want that soundtrack, then go find Levi and work it out with him yourself, dummy. Welp, time for me to go!” Mammon stretched as he turned around to leave. “As much as I hate goin’ to class, I don’t have much of a-”

“Mammon,” I narrowed my eyes as I commanded, standing up. “Come!” 

“HEY Wh-What’s going on?!” Mammon asked with panic as he quickly turned around and started to head towards me as if a string was dragging him forward. The pact mark on my hand was glowing with intensity. “Dammit, my body- it’s movin’ on its own! Grr…! F-Fine, all right!” He admitted defeat as he almost slammed into me. “I’ll go with you, okay?!” I cheered happily. 

“Really? Yay, thank you, Mammon!” I grinned with glee as I clapped my hands together. 

“It feels like you’ve got some kinda invisible cord tied around my neck- Aaah, stop pullin’ on it!” Mammon whined as he struggled against my invisible grip. “I said stoooooop!”

“Sorry, sorry, sorry!” I gasped as the mark on my hand faded and he gasped for air. I patted his hair with my hand in an effort to comfort him. “I hope I didn’t hurt you,” I giggled happily as I enjoyed the soft texture of his fluffy hair. 

_ Wow, his hair feels so good- wait, what am I doing?  _ I quickly pulled my hand back as if I just had been bitten, my eyes wide. My cheeks burned in realization and I turned away. 

“Sorry, sorry.” I quickly apologized as I cursed myself over and over again in my head. Little did I know that Mammon’s face was just as bright with embarrassment. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	7. Chapter 7: Do Demons Marathon Watch Shows?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia goes to Levi for The Tale of the Seven Lords' record but getting it apparently won't be an easy task... But when is anything ever easy?

“Come on, come on,” I ushered as I pulled Mammon along by the arm upstairs. “I want to convince him before we’re late for school.” 

“I can’t believe you decided to go straight to Levi and ask him for the soundtrack,” Mammon expressed his disbelief as I let go of his arm. We had made it to our destination. “You really don’t have any patience, do ya?!” 

“Nope, I sure don’t,” I easily admitted without shame. “The only thing I have the patience for is children. Anyway, if we don’t convince Levi now, who knows what will happen?” I nervously glanced up at Mammon. “The longer I wait, the more ‘what ifs’ pop into my mind.”

“Well, first of all, there’s no way Levi’s just gonna agree to lend you his Tale of whatever-it-was vinyl soundtrack no matter when you ask,” Mammon explained to me. “Actually, he ain’t even gonna let you inside his room. I’m sure of it!”

“But what if I say please and smile?” I grinned a little.

“You can’t just go off and think that everything’s gonna go your way cause ya want it to! You know what your problem is?” Mammon started to lecture me, “I’ll tell you-” 

“Mammon, you jackass…” Someone growled. 

“What?! Who said that?!” He wildly looked around for the source of the voice. “I’m not a jackass, or an idiot or a scumbag or a money-obsessed moron…! Which you didn’t actually call me, but still!”

“Mammon, don’t give people ammo against you,” I weakly offered as I shook my head. I found it sad that he was so used to being insulted. 

“Hold on, I recognize that voice,” Mammon jumped to attention with realization. “So, where ARE you, anyway?” 

“I’m sure he’s in his room,” I softly explained. “We are right outside Levi’s door.” 

“You’re making way too much noise, Mammon,” the voice, which belonged to Levi, snapped back. “Would you do me a favor and NOT stand outside my door being loud? I’m in the middle of watching the best scene of  _ The Magical Ruri Hana: Demon Girl. _ ” 

“Levi,” Mammon started to bang on his door. “We need to talk to you so get off your ass and come to the door!” I facepalmed, knowing that this would not help us. 

“No,” Levi replied back ‘shockingly.’

“See? See?” Mammon yelled as he pointed at me. “What’d I tell ya? He won’t even open the damn door for us. Don’t just stand there, Claudia. Try sayin somethin’ to him.” 

“Levi,” I smoothly spoke up as I stepped up to the door. “I need to borrow your TSL soundtrack.”

“No.”

“Ugh, come on…” Mammon moaned at me. “That was awful. You’re not supposed to tell him why we’re here. He’s not the kind of guy who does favors if you ask him.” 

“Well, I’m not going to pretend that I’m here for some other reason,” I shrugged back. 

“Hey, I was wondering who that was out here in the hall,” I heard and turned to see Solomon approaching us. “So, it’s the pair everyone is talking about.” 

“Oh, hey Solomon, I didn’t expect to see you here,” I admitted, curious as to how he had a connection to the brothers. It was clear that Lucifer had a more bitter view towards the sorcerer than a positive one. 

“Solomon, it’s you,” Mammon said, seemingly neutral towards the man. “What do ya mean by that?” 

“I’m referring to the rumor regarding a certain human by the name of Claudia,” his eyes fell on me and I felt a chill go down my spine. “A human who looks very ordinary at first glance, but has already managed to make a pact with a demon, despite having only just gotten here. Apparently,” Solomon laughed as he smirked at Mammon, “This demon must be a real idiot, because he let a human discover and exploit his greatest weakness, and was then tricked into forging a pact.” Mammon obliviously laughed in response. 

“What demon is that? He must be a total numbskull! Ha, what an idiot!” I tugged on Mammon’s arm, trying to give him a hint before he embarrassed himself even more. He glanced down with confusion before something clicked. “Wait, you’re talkin about ME! Anyway,” he tried to change the subject off of him. “What’re you even doin’ here, Solomon?” 

‘I’m here because Levi invited me,” Solomon simply stated back and I felt something tug at me inside. I was both startled and… jealous? 

“What?” Mammon couldn’t seem to believe it either as he spoke. “Levi invited YOU? To his room? No way, I don’t buy it.” 

“I’m afraid it's the truth,” Solomon slyly smiled as he stepped up to Levi’s door. “Levi? It’s me,” he called out. 

“What’s the secret phrase?” 

“The second lord…” Solomon carefully recited. 

“Attempted to steal the Lord of Corruption’s platypus which could lay golden eggs…” 

“...Having incurred the wrath of the Lord of Corruption for this misdeed…”

“..It was ordered that the second lord would be forever dubbed The Lord of Fools,” Levi finished off the phrase. “Secret phrase authenticated. You may enter.” 

“Well, guess I’ll see you two later,” Solomon waved to us as he opened the door to Levi’s cave-like room. “Bye,” He disappeared inside. 

“What were they even talking about just now?” Mammon mumbled, dumbfounded.

“It was a quote from  _ The Tale of the Seven Lords _ ,” I explained. “It must be their secret phrase.” 

“And they gave it away, didn’t they?!” Mammon gasped with sparkling eyes. “Excellent, all right,” Mammon nodded. “Try saying what Solomon did.” 

“Sure,” I gulped a little. “I have a good memory as an actor, so this should be a piece of cake.” I moved and knocked on the door.

_ Come on now, don’t let hours of learning lines under a short notice go to waste.  _

“What’s the secret phrase?” Levi asked from behind his door.  __

“The second lord-” 

“Buzz!” Levi loudly booed. “Secret phrase authentication failure. Access denied.” 

“What? Wait, that was totally right,” Mammon protested to the door. “It’s exactly what Solomon said!” 

“The secret phrase is periodically reset,” Levi excused and I frowned. I called bullshit. Mammon vented about how unfair that was and Levi brought up a point. “Maybe you should come back after you’ve at least watched TSL on DVD,” Mammon yelled back but once he noticed that his efforts were fruitless, he backed away from the door and we huddled up a little bit. 

“Okay, so what I can gather is that Solomon just proved to Levi that he’s a total TSL nerd too, so now they’re buddies. Which means that if you wanna borrow that soundtrack from Levi-” Mammon started. 

“Then I’ll have to become a TSL nerd myself!” I declared. 

“So explain somethin’ to me,” Mammon said as he adjusted himself in my bed. It was later in the evening and after school, as soon as I possibly could, I went to every video store that was within walking distance and purchased all of the DVD volumes of  _ The Tale of the Seven Lords _ . I hadn’t decided if I wanted to get a part-time job or not- because frankly, I had it stuck in my head that I would get out of the Devildom soon- but I luckily had enough money that I had brought from the human realm the supply myself with the DVDs. After that success, I bought the snack necessities for a marathon. I was going to binge-watch the entire series so that I could stick it to Levi. I of course wanted that soundtrack to distract Lucifer, but I also felt empowered by the desire to prove it to Levi that I wasn’t just some “normie” girl that he could dismiss. I liked anime, manga, and video games just as much as he did. 

“Yes?” I asked as I turned on the TV in my room. 

“Why do I gotta join you for this TSL Full Series DVD Marathon Night you’re doin’?!” Mammon grabbed one of my pillows and held it close to his chest as he objected. “And you said that it’s 12 hours total?! What’s up with that?! We’ll be up all damn night!”

“I know,” I nodded as I organized the DVD cases. “That’s why I brought the coffee and tea maker in here.” I glanced over at the system I had set up on the long table in my room. It was covered head to toe with snacks, drinks, plates, and napkins. It looked like I was having a party. 

“Yeah, and it’s almost midterms,” Beelzebub spoke up. He was sitting next to Mammon, shoving popcorn in his mouth. “You must have a lot of free time, Mammon.” 

“No, I DON’T!” Mammon argued back. “A-Anyway, you’re one to talk! What about you, Beel?! You’re here too!” 

“A movie marathon means there’s popcorn,” Beelzebub looked like he was about to drool as he spoke. “And look at all the snacks Claudia brought, I’m ready.” 

“You’re tellin me you’re just here for the food,” Mammon shook his head in disapproval. “Beggin’ the human for treats like some kind of dog?!” 

“Well, I brought up the idea to him so it’s not like he had to beg or anything,” I calmly explained as I slid the first disc into the DVD player. “Marathons like this are more fun with others. If I was just by myself, I would fall asleep easier.” I got up and turned the lights off and moved towards my bed. I jumped up and got between Mammon and Beel, trying not to get embarrassed about how close we were to each other. 

“Ugh, this is so stupid that it’s,” Mammon mumbled to himself, “It’s unreal. Why am I stuck watching this too..?” I shushed him and our grand marathon started. 

For someone that had completely opposed the marathon from the very beginning, Mammon was quick to get fully invested in the story and when he got passionate, he would yell at the screen. 

“Wha- seriously?!” I had to stabilize Mammon’s arm as he hollered so that he wouldn’t accidentally knock over the popcorn that was sitting in my lap. “He’s finally reunited with her, only to find out that she’s dead?! No… that can’t be! Can’t he. Like, use some magic or somethin’ to bring her back to life?!” 

“Shush, Mammon,” I whispered, “I’m trying to pay attention.” 

Mammon was especially attracted to the story of the Lord of Fools, and when blamed for a misfortune that he accidentally caused, Mammon started to cry from his overwhelming emotions. 

“Don’t blame the Lord of Fools!” Mammon sobbed as I motheringly rubbed my hand on his back in a circular motion, lightly muttering to him. “He was worried about the Lord of Flies and wanted to help- that’s all!” I can’t believe the food ended up spoiling, it’s not fair,” Mammon sniffled as he rubbed his eyes.

“Mammon, stop crying,” Beelzebub criticized him with a full mouth. “Your nose is running, you know.” 

“But how can I not cry,” Mammon couldn’t stop the waterworks from his eyes. “It’s all so saaaad!” 

“It’s alright, I’ll go get you a tissue since the credits are rolling,” I kindly offered as I got up and headed to the bathroom. 

Mammon was also very vocal about a scene where the oldest lord, the Lord of Corruption, banishes the youngest lord away to a tower. The other brothers, fearing the oldest brother, did nothing as they watched the youngest one befall his doomed fate. 

“Seriously, what’s wrong with them?” Mammon yelled as I struggled to stop him from throwing his popcorn at the screen in anger. “They’re brothers, aren’t they? Couldn’t one of them have done something to stop it from coming to this?” Mammon ranted on and I glanced over and noticed how Beelzebub's mood had shifted. He was solemn and refused to touch any of the snacks sitting in his lap. 

_ This has obviously struck a chord with Beel, I wonder why? It must have to do with their youngest brother…  _

By the end of the marathon, it was already 7 am. I groaned as I got up and stretched. My vision was blurry and my head ached. I yawned and directed my attention to the table. I needed more tea. I was on my 6th cup, which probably wasn’t good for me, but I desperately needed the energy to survive the school day. Tired but invested in  _ The Tale  _ of the Seven Lords, the three of us all parted ways. I met up with Mammon thirty minutes later in the entrance hall, put together as much as anyone that pulled an all-nighter could me.

_ God, the last night I pulled an all-nighter like this was for theatre. I feel like shit…  _ I thought almost regretfully. I bounced from one foot to another, jittery from all of the sugar and caffeine in my system. I was a paradox of cracked out and dead beat tired. I tried my best to focus on Mammon’s words as he recapped our plan. 

“Okay, so let’s go over this one more time,” Mammon spoke, leveled. He was handling staying up all night way better than me. “You want to get into the attic at the top of the stairs, but Lucifer’s standing in your way. So you’ve got to do something about him which is why ya need the cursed vinyl edition of  _ The Tale of the Seven Lords  _ soundtrack.” I hummed in return as I ran a hand through my dark hair. “I mean, I don’t understand why Lucifer cares so much about somethin’ like that either, but whatever. The point is, Lev’s got the soundtrack and ya need to borrow it from him and now since you’re a big TSL nerd like him after watching every TSL DVD, he should let you borrow it. But first ya gotta review. I’ll quiz you to see just how well you understand it.”

“Gotcha,” I yawned. “My memory is weirdly subjective but I always remember weird details from things that interest me so this should be easy even if I feel like death.” 

“We’ll start with TSL DVD Volume 2,” Mammon said seriously, obviously just as interested in TSL as me considering how he was asking these questions off of the top of his head. “After falling into a trap set by Henry and the Lord of Shadow, the Lord of Fools is forced to flee to the north. When he gets there, he finds his former sweetheart's body frozen in ice. What’s her name?”

“That’s easy,” I smiled with confidence. “It’s Geldie.” 

_ The Lord of Fools reminds me of Mammon so if I just think of his credit card but change the ‘o’ to an ‘e’ so it sounds like a realistic name, you get Geldie. It’s a little creepy just how much the show and novels seem to line up with the demon brothers’ lives.  _

“Correct,” Mammon nodded. “But you’re right, it was easy- anyone could’ve gotten that right. Let’s hit DVD Volume 5 next.” We continued our little pop quiz and I passed with flying colors. 

“You may seem like an airhead,” Mammon laughed with a little pride after we finished. “But I’ve gotta admit, you did pretty well.” 

“I am third in my class back in the human realm so I sure hope I did well,” I yawned. “And do you mean I’m an airhead?” I raised an eyebrow. “I stare off a little sometimes,” I admitted. “But um, that’s just something I can’t control.” I didn’t specify why. 

“I get it, ya are so smart,” Mammon mumbled before speaking up. “I don’t know what ya mean about not controlling it, but I say you should be able to convince Levi that ya know your stuff at this point.”

“Really?” I got a little excited, ready to prove to Levi that I wasn’t just some normie that should be dismissed. 

“...Hey, human,” we heard a grumpy tone and turned around to see Levi approaching us with a glare. 

“Ah, well speak of the devil,” Mammon whispered to me and I felt my chest flutter. 

“I heard what you’re up to, human,” he sneered at me. “Seems that you’re trying to suck up to me so I’ll like you.” 

“It’s Claudia,” I groaned. “And I don’t see a problem with trying to get close with you but what plan?”

“Yeah, who told ya?” Mammon got defensive, not very good at playing off the situation. 

“It’s no use playing dumb,” Levi sighed, his sour puss expression not leaving his face. “I heard it from Lucifer.

“Lucifer?” Mammon scoffed as he threw his hands up in disbelief. “How the hell does he end up hearing every single thing that gets said around here?” 

_ I shouldn’t be surprised, _ I told myself.  _ Lucifer is crafty and intelligent, of course, he constantly keeps tabs on his siblings. He has the pressure of keeping everyone together. Not to mention, he has the most brain cells out of this entire household.  _

“That’s not important,” Levi snapped, shutting down Mammon. “You know, I’ve heard it said that the time a fool spends thinking is WASTED time. I think that applies here. You’re lucky to have so much time on your hands that you can sit around thinking up schemes like this.” Levi turned to whining, ranting about his own issues of not having enough time to watch anime and play video games. “So, why do YOU get to have so much free time? It’s so not fair.”

My eyes widened a little.  _ Woah, _ I thought with a realization.  _ Is he jealous of not getting to do the same thing as us… or maybe it’s because Mammon, Beelzebub, and I all spent time together? That can’t be it, right? Levi doesn’t even care about me _ .

“Ah, I was waiting for him to say that!” Mammon smirked a little. “Lev’s signature line: ‘It’s so not fair’.” 

“Shut up, Mammon,” Levi hissed, his mood worsening. “You’re an idiot.” Mammon tried to tell Levi that he should “respect his older brother more” but it fell on death ears as Levi turned all of his attention to me. “Anyway, I don’t know what it is you’re plotting, but I’m not about to get all buddy-buddy with some human normie. Understand? I’m not like Mammon. Get that through your head.” 

“I should take a shot every time you say normie, I’d be passed out in the first two hours,” I crossed my arms, bitter and tired. 

“Hey!” Mammon protested as he tried to get our attention. “It’s not like I’m buddy-buddy with this human, either! My body obeys the orders on its own, whether I like it or not. Like when I’m told ‘stay’ or ‘go home’ and stuff. It’s not my fault!”

“I don’t even give you that many orders, I don’t like to boss you around,” I sighed as I rubbed my eyes. I didn’t have any makeup on and my face felt gross and oily. I was sure that the dark bags under my eyes were extra potent against my pale skin today. 

“You shouldn’t go getting any ideas in your head, human,” Levi warned me. Well, just at the moment, my sleep-deprived brain came up with a genius idea. 

“Too late,” I said weakly and glared up at Levi. “I’ll fight for your respect, Levi. How about we have a little friendly competition? Let’s compete to see who the bigger TSL fan is!” 

“What?” Levi's face softened a little before grinning. “Do you seriously think you could beat me in a competition involving TSL? Hahaha, that’s hilarious, lololol! As if I’d accept a challenge like that. I mean, I already know what the outcome would be.”

“But do you?” I slyly asked. “I take my competitions rather seriously. Perhaps you are afraid of the chance that I could win- the chance that YOU could lose to some human normie.” 

“Excuse me?” Levi looked seriously offended and I cheered a little, knowing that he took my bait. “Did you process anything I just said? Where are you getting this idea that I might actually lose to you?” 

“Oh, I knew it,” I flipped my hair, putting on my best smug face. “You ARE totally afraid.” 

“Excuse me? EXCUSE ME?!” Levi was screaming like a banshee. “Are you processing ANYTHING I’m saying here?!” 

“Hey Mammon,” I smirked. “Did you know that Levi’s a chicken?” I never thought that I would go so low as to call someone a chicken, but the lack of sleep had washed away all of my dignity. 

“Hey! Watch what you say, human!” 

“Ha, Levi’s an otaku!” I pointed at him and paused. “Wait,” I whispered. “That’s obvious. Wait, I got it!” I spoke up, hyped up. “Levi’s a-” 

“Fine.” I stopped, my shoulder’s dropping at Levi’s defeated voice. “If that’s what you want, I’ll do it. I accept your challenge. We’ll compete to see which one of us loves TSl more, you or me. Just one thing,” Levi stepped closer to me, the atmosphere in the room becoming more suffocating. “If you lose, you might never make it back to the human world alive.” I kept my footing, resisting the urge to show my fear. “But you still want to do this, right?” I nodded. “Okay.” He pushed past me, heading towards the door mumbling aggressively. My lip trembled and I started to whine.

“I was too mean, wasn’t I?” I cried a little as I grabbed onto Mammon’s arms.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Mammon yelped, his face turning red.

“I feel so guilty! I really want to be friends with Levi too but I think he might just hate me- but we’re a good team and I-!” Mammon started to drag me towards the door. 

“Shut up! Damn, are you this way cause you didn’t get sleep? You’re the one that wanted to stay up all night watchin’ TSL-” Mammon continued to bicker at me and didn’t stop until we were all the way to RAD. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	8. Chapter 8: Do Demons Win at Trivia?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sleep-deprived and unprepared, Claudia must receive outside help in order to win against Levi in their upcoming trivia battle and a few of the demon brothers are more than willing to lead her in the right direction.

_ I can’t believe I actually passed out during class. Sure, I’ve been close a few times in Calculus, but I’ve never actually fallen asleep before. Even when I’m done with all of my work and actually try to fall asleep, I can’t even manage to. Ugh, I still feel like shit. _

I yawned as I dragged myself through the looming halls of RAD. I had just finished my second class of the day and I was struggling to stay afloat. I felt like the walking dead. 

“Hey, Claudia,” a voice caught my attention and I glanced over my shoulder to see Satan jog up to me. Beelzebub was trailing him, close behind. 

“Good morning Satan, Beelzebub,” I did my best to smile and chipper up. 

“I heard about what’s happening,” Satan mentioned as he walked beside me. Beelzebub wandered over to my other side. “It seems that you and Levi are going to have a little competition.”

“Word travels fast around here, but I guess I already know that,” I laughed a little in return. 

“Are you hoping to find out what’s in the attic room? Is that it?” I hesitated to answer that question.  _ Great, _ I thought direly,  _ if they know my intentions, then Lucifer surely does as well. Why hasn’t he tried to stop me?  _

“I am, yes,” I finally admitted.

“Huh, you don’t say…” Beelzebub said quietly. “I’ll let you in on a nice piece of information,” he informed me solemnly. “Levi is the demon of envy. If you can work him into a jealous frenzy, he’ll lose control of himself. Then he’ll be guaranteed to slip up somehow, giving you an opening you can exploit.”

“That’s a crafty idea, but it seems dangerous,” I brought up to the Avatar of Gluttony. 

“You’re right,” he agreed. “If Levi does lose control of himself, your life will be in danger.”

“Yikes, but thank you,” I smiled. Beel’s stomach growled.

“If you want to thank me, give me food,” he mumbled. “You can buy me a megaton-sized bowl of pasta with mixed entrails-” Beelzebub went on to list a five-course meal. 

“I can take you out sometime,” I said weakly. “But I might need a job first before I can satisfy your food demands.” 

“I’ll give you a piece of advice, too,” I turned my attention to Satan who was willing to offer me some wisdom. “The DVD version of TSL is up to season 7 now. That’s the most recent release. Meanwhile, the original book version is up to volume 8 at this point. Volume 9 of the book isn’t out yet. But if you want to know what’s going to happen in it, you should ask Simeon.”

“Thank you,” I nodded with appreciation. “But seriously? Why would Simeon know something like that?”

“Don’t ask me, ask him. Also,” Satan slyly admitted, “It just so happens that it’s in my best interest for you to beat Levi.” And without another word, the Avatar of Wrath waved as he dipped into a classroom, Beelzebub following him. 

_ I don’t know the brothers’ intentions but now I feel like I will actually have the upper hand in the contest if I find and talk to Siemon.  _

“So let me get this straight,” Mammon drew out slowly as he fiddled with his tie. The two of us were sitting out in the RAD courtyard on the grass eating the packed lunches I had prepared the other night. “You’re tellin’ me that Beel and Satan both gave you hints for how to defeat Levi?”

“It’s strange, isn’t it?” I nodded before biting into my sandwich. 

“How VERY interesting…Well, ya know why they did that though, right?” Mammon’s posture looked a little prideful. “It’s all because I’m lookin after ya. You’ve got Mammon to thank for this!” I giggled at Mammon’s flawed logic. “Okay, here's the deal,” he continued, feeling the need to explain himself. “Those two are givin’ you special treatment because they know that I’m the one in charge of you.”  _ Yes Mammon, you are totally the one in charge of this relationship.  _ “They want me to be pleased with them, ya see! So, whaddya think about that?” Mammon yelled a little “Aha” at the end of his question. “NOW you get it, doncha! It’s clear how important I am, and how much my younger brothers respect me!”

“Yeah, you’re right, you’re important,” I gave him a soft smile, a light blush dusting my cheeks. 

“Wh- hey!” Mammon didn’t expect that reaction from me. “Come on,” he lightly pushed my arm. “It feels weird when you agree with me like that. I mean, doncha think you should’ve taken the opportunity to put me down or somethin’?” I shook my head with a frown. It troubled me how Mammon was used to being insulted. He needed a cheerleader. 

“Nope, never,” I opened up our shared lunch box to pull out some cookies I managed to snatch before Beel ate them. “I’d never put you down Mammon.”

“Well fine then,” he blushed as he put his hands on his hips. “Then you oughta respect me like they do!” I handed him a cookie.

“Ugh, forget it,” he grumbled as he snatched the cookie from my hand. “Let’s just get down to business. You and me need to figure out what our strategy’s gonna be with this Levi thing. First off,” he paused for a moment to take a bite out of the cookie. “What Beel told you is right. If you can make Levi jealous, he’s bound to lose his cool. Though there’s no guarantee he won’t kill ya if that happens.”

“How charming,” I sighed as I fell back on the grass. “I want to win this competition, but I don’t want to die in the process. I also feel like it’s cheating if I take advantage of his weakness like this,” I sadly glanced over at Mammon who shrugged in return.

“But that’s just how it’s gotta be,” he explained. “There’s no way you’ll beat Levi in a competition over who’s the bigger TSL nerd- not if you fight fair. You’d best face up to the fact that this is gonna involve a little risk.” I looked back up at the dark and looming sky above us. 

_ I hate taking risks, but I feel like the whole experience of being here in the Devildom is a risk itself. I have no other option but to go with the tide and hope that I don’t drown in it.  _

“So, we’ve gotta figure out how you’re gonna manage to make him jealous,” Mammon said and I glanced back at him. “He may be called the Avatar of Envy, but it’s hard to make him give in to it. Instead of gettin’ super jealous of you, he’ll get all negative about his own situation. He’ll start talkin about how it’s ‘not fair’ and you’re ‘lucky’ and stuff.” 

“That’s a little sad,” I admitted. “It’s a shame he has such a negative mentality.” 

“Well, that’s what he uses unless you do somethin’ to make him REAL jealous, so jealous that he nearly pops a blood vessel. Hm…” Mammon paused as he nibbled on his cookie. “Maybe we oughta ask someone for advice.”

“I agree, we should ask Simeon,” I sat up and scanned the courtyard trying to find a white uniform. 

“Ah, yeah,” Mammon recalled my earlier words. “Satan did say somethin’ about talking to Simeon. Said you should ask him about the next TSL novel- the one that’s not out yet. And actually,” Mammon’s face lit up. “I’m dyin to find out what’s gonna happen myself.”

“Look at you, we both became TSL nerds together,” I grinned at Mammon with my tease. 

“I’m not some nerd,” he looked away, embarrassed. “Still though, why would Simeon know what’s gonna happen in the next TSL book when it’s not even out yet?” 

“I wonder that as well- I have a suspicion, but it’s a wild jump.” I didn’t go into more detail, knowing that Mammon would think my guess was absurd. I picked up my D.D.D. and checked the time. “Let’s pack up, lunch is about to end and I want to find Simeon as soon as possible before the competition begins.” Levi and I had decided that our showdown would commence right after school in the student council office with all of the demon brothers as witnesses so time was ticking for me. 

“All right, everyone!” Asmodeus cheered with a microphone in his hand. “Finally, the wait is over! It’s time for Devil’s Trivia Showdown, the quiz show that pits demon against human!” It was the moment of truth, it was time for me to prove that I deserved Levi’s respect and it was time for me to gain the key that would unlock the mystery of the attic. 

Everyone had gathered in the office for our epic showdown of nerdtastic knowledge. Levi and I stood on either side of the room with Asmodeus acting as the “cute and charismatic” host in the middle. Levi glared at me with pure rage as I kept my cool with a blank face. I wasn’t going to let him get to me. 

“Today our competitors will be testing their knowledge regarding a super-famous, super-popular fantasy series,” Asmodeus continued as he twirled around with giddiness. “One that’s known by young and old alike-” He paused dramatically- “ _The Tale of the Seven Lords_! Now, it’s time to introduce our two competitors. First, he’s a demon who freely admits to being a giant TSL nerd: Meet Leviathan!” Asmodeus posed as he pointed to his older brother who stepped up.

“I am the G.O.A.T. None can oppose me!” Leviathan roared as his battle cry. 

“And his challenger claims to have been introduced to TSL only very recently after binge-watching the DVDs, say hell to Claudia!” Asmodeus announced as he turned his attention to me. I stepped up with a smile. 

“Hello everyone,” I waved.

“You know,” Levi snapped aggressively. “I don’t even care about this whole competition thing, honestly. I mean, I already know how this is going to end.” He smirked a little before speaking again, “I’m only doing this because it gives me a chance to show off my encyclopedic knowledge of TSL to everyone.” 

“Serving as judge for today’s competition is our very own Demon Lord himself, Diavolo!” Asmodeus announced as a light seemed to shine on Diavolo from his spot in the office.

“Hello there, everyone,” he greeted. “Good to see you.” 

“Color commentary will be provided by Sata, Avatar of Wrath,” Asmodeus explained to his nonexistent audience. “But a good commentator needs to keep a cool head. I wonder, is he really up to the task?”

“I think Satan will be more than fine,” I weakly brought up and Satan nodded as he took the microphone from his facetious brother.

“She’s correct, I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. So, I’m doing commentary?” Satan asked with amusement. “That’s a lot of responsibility.” 

“Now, say hello to our guest demon,” Asmodeus continued, Satan holding the microphone out to him. “The always- famished Beelzebub! For his appearance fee, he requested to be compensated in cheeseburgers. How very Beel of him…” 

“Nothing beats one of Hell’s Kitchen’s special cheeseburgers,” Beel advertised as soon as he took a moment to breathe. He was currently munching away on his bounty of grub. “They age the cheese 4,000 years for maxim flavor.”

“And,” Asmodeus got closer to me as he winked, “Your host for the day is none other than yours truly, Asmodeus. The demon who can make your swoon simply by whispering into your ear. You all know me, you all love me.” 

“I appreciate the effort you are putting into this Asmodeus, but isn’t this a little much?” I brought up. “We don’t even have an audience.” 

“Yeah, it’s getting ridiculous,” Mammon, who was beside me, huffed. “Let’s get this show on the road!”

“I thought you hated wasting your time at events like this, Mammon” Lucifer, who stood beside Diavolo’s chair, casually mentioned. “Yet here you are. Truly, wonders never cease.”

“Shut up, Lucifer.” Mammon shuttered back and I warmly smiled at him. He furiously blushed, not meeting my eyes. “I’ve got some free time, that’s all.”

_ He looks so cute when he blushes,  _ I thought, a little flutter going off in my chest. 

“Well then, we’ll start with you, Claudia,” Asmodeus said, putting the show on the road. “Get ready for TSL Quiz question number one!” I took a shaky breath, bracing myself for the worst. “The seven lords are all brothers, and each has a specific name that people know them by,” I carefully nodded along as Asmodeus read the question off of a notecard. “In birth order, name the oldest, second-oldest, and third-oldest lords.” 

“In order,” I started responding, confident in my answer. I knew this one, it was too easy, but I didn’t allow myself to relax. “It’s the Lord of Corruption, Fools, and then the Lord of Shadow.” 

“Well, how about that!” Asmodeus grinned as he looked up from the card. “You’re absolutely correct! Way to start the game off on the right foot, Claudia!” 

“Oh come on,” Levi rolled his eyes at me. “Anybody could’ve gotten that one right.”

“Mmm,” Beelzebub happily moaned and praised his cheeseburger, not even paying attention. 

“All right, Leviathan, it’s your turn now,” Asmodeus nodded as he selected a new card. “Here comes question number one! In what year did the Lord of Shadow build the Blue Palace for his imaginary mistress?”

“Year 693 of the ancient era,” Levi said without a beat.

“Correct!” Asmodeus applauded. “What an impressive showing from the self-described TSL nerd!”

“In me you bear witness to a legend!” Levi roared as he beat his chest. 

“Even so,” Satan brought up with concern. “Is it just me, or was that question a little too specific? Only a mega nerd would know that.” I couldn’t help but nod. 

_ I noticed that also but I am going to ignore the voice in my head that is telling me that I should speak up because if I got a question like that, there would be no way that I could answer it. I’ll feel guilty later, but for now, I should take advantage of the system.  _

Diavolo chuckled with glee as he spoke: “This is shaping up to be quite entertaining, isn’t it Lucifer?” 

“I’m glad you find it to your liking, Diavolo,” Lucifer replied, pleased. I raised an eyebrow at the pair before looking away, questioning their relationship for the 100th time. The questions continued on, and I answered all of mine with ease. Levi’s questions still somehow remained much more difficult than mine but no one seemed to mind even when they became beyond realistic. Nevertheless, Levi answered them all with success. 

“Hey, is it just me, or have all of my questions been way harder than Claudia’s?” Levi finally asked and I was surprised he hadn’t sooner. “Like, suspiciously harder. Though they’re still so easy for me that I’m ready to fall asleep here anyway,” Levi bragged with an undertone of dullness. “How long are we going to keep this charade up? This is getting boring.”

“Yep, I’d say it has,” Mammon nodded and turned towards me like a proud parent as he placed his hands on my shoulders. “All right, Claudia, it’s time to pull out the big guns! Let’s see how Levi here likes your trump card! Levi,” Mammon let go of me and turned to his nerdy brother. “You’re way too full of yourself, which is why we’re about to reach inside ya, yank out that pride, and crush it like a bug!”

“What..?” Levi was taken aback by the sudden change in developments and I took a deep breath, preparing myself. 

“Well, well, interesting,” Lord Diavolo’s eyes lit up with interest. 

“Wow!” Asmodeus looked to be just as shocked as Levi. “It sounds to me like the gauntlet has just been thrown down! It would seem Claudia has some sort of trump card to use against Leviathan!” He eagerly handed the microphone to Satan. “Perhaps now would be a good time to check in with our color commentator. Satan, what do you think this could be about?”

“Well,” he spoke up with a knowing air to him. “It’s not at all surprising that Claudia would come into this with a secret weapon.”

_ I just hope my secret weapon doesn’t end up killing me _ , I groaned to myself. 

“It seems that the advice I gave is about to pay some dividends. Excellent,” Satan’s smile grew wider with maliciousness. 

“Just a minute… Satan, are you telling us that you provided aid to Claudia?” Asmodeus pretended to be shocked but couldn’t hide his absolute glee. “How very wicked of you!” He pointed the microphone in the eating Beel’s direction. “I suppose this would be a good time to get your take on this as well, Beel.”

“If you want to hear what I have to say, it’s going to cost you,” Beelzebub explained. “Let’s say one extra-large bowl of katsudon and some miso soup to go along with that.” 

“That does sound really good right now, actually,” I admitted with a small laugh. I’d been so worked up all day so I was drained of all of my energy. Food and a nap sounded like heaven. 

“Okay,” Asmodeus groaned as he pulled the microphone away as if Beelzebub was going to eat it next. “Whose idea was it to invite Beel to this, huh?! He’s done nothing but eat this entire time…! In any event,” Asmodeus cleared his throat, regaining his composure. “If Claudia really does have a secret weapon, it could mean something that will make winning against Leviathan possible! Perhaps we should hear what Claudia’s opponent thinks about this,” he took a step towards Levi. “Tell me Levi, what’s running through your head right now?!”

“ROFLMAO! Loooooooooooooool!”

“Right, er,” Asmodeus blinked a few times, baffled. “I have absolutely no idea what you’re saying, but you clearly don’t see her as a threat… Got it!”

“If I may?” I quietly asked as I recalled what I was told to myself. Earlier in the day, I was able to bump into Simeon and receive the perfect weapon against Levi.

_ “Simeon!” I called out as I jogged up to him. We were in the overwhelming and impressive RAD library. I had dedicated the time my study hall period offered to search out Simeon. I had finally come across him gazing through a selection of books.  _

_ “Claudia,” he turned his gaze to me with a kind smile. “It’s good to see you again, although I didn’t expect to see you again so soon,” he lightly laughed. “How are you?” He squinted a little. “You look tired, did you get enough sleep last night. _

_ “I’m afraid I didn’t get any last night,” I groggily admitted. “It’s a long story. Um, I was wondering if you could help me with something,” I smiled back.  _

_ “Of course,” he nodded as he gently set down the book in his hand. “What can I help you with?”  _

_ “Satan told me that you knew about the future volume of The Tale of the Seven Lords. I just recently became a fan and I was wondering if you could tell me about it,” I blushed, a little flustered by my request. “I am really curious if I am going to be honest. I usually don’t like to hear spoilers and wait to read something myself, but I’m trying to prove something to Levi, who is a bigger fan than I am.” _

_ “Really?” Simeon laughed a little as he put his hand on his hip. “Sure, I’ll help you out. Ah, you might want a pen and some paper, a lot is going to happen.”  _

_ “Oh, of course,” my honey eyes widened a little and we moved towards a table. “So,” I made small talk as I opened up my briefcase. “Are you a big reader? I’m curious since I found you in here.” _

_ “Yes, I am,” Simeon answered as he sat down across from me. “Are you, Claudia?” I happily nodded in response.  _

_ “Oh yes, I love reading of any kind,” I smiled a little to myself as I recalled something personal. “My parents used to read to me as a baby and small child so I naturally picked up the love of reading. I miss my book collection back home, I could only pack so many in my suitcase” I laughed. “I’m glad I could find a fellow book lover here.”  _

_ “You must be excited about House Lamentation’s personal book collection then,” Simeon noted as I sat down, ready to write down notes.  _

_ “I am, but I’ve been too busy and a little intimidated to check it out. Um, Satan is always in there and I don’t really know him very well yet so I get nervous. I get nervous around almost all of the brothers even if I don’t really show it- it’s not even because they are demons. Isn’t that silly? The demon part doesn’t even bother me.” _

_ “I understand,” Simeon nodded. “I’m sure you’ll open up to them more. So,” he placed his arms on the table. “Let’s see where I should start…?” We spent the rest of our time together discussing TSL as he spoiled major plot points.  _

_ “Simeon,” I shook my head, troubled as I paused my notes. “It’s not that I don’t believe what you are saying, but I keep questioning how you know all of this, and I can only come up with one conclusion. May I take a guess?” _

_ “Go ahead,” he softly replied.  _

_ “Are you- I know this is insane- but are you actually Christopher Peugeo?” _

_ “Shush,” Simeon gently pressed a finger to his soft and smiling lips as his eyes gave away his answer.  _

_ “I knew it,” I tried to quietly cheer. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.” I pretended to zip my mouth shut.  _

_ “I’m not worried about you at all,” Simeon admitted, “But those brothers should be worried about you.”  _

_ “Huh?” I didn’t understand what he was trying to say. _

_ “You’re sharp Claudia,” Simeon explained. “Lucifer and his brothers underestimate you.” _

_ “I’m used to being underestimated,” I bitterly admitted.  _

_ “I’m excited to see you prove them wrong,” he gracefully moved from his chair. “And if you ever want to hear about any future installments, then you know where to find me.”  _

_ “Thank you, Simeon,” I felt warm and fuzzy as I stood as well. “I’ll see you around… um, it would be nice if we could get together and talk about books again. It would be nice to have some friends down here.” _

_ “Oh, but aren’t we friends now?” He softly asked and I almost melted from his kindness.  _

Summoning all of my remaining strength, I went on to summarize everything that Simeon told me about the unreleased TSL Volume 9.

“Wh...What?” Levi gasped. I had watched his face go through most of the stages of grief during my explanation. “NO!” He screamed. “That’s insane, the Lord of Masks wouldn’t do that to the Lord of Shadow. Lies, all of it!” He started to stomp his foot like a toddler throwing a fit. I tensed up, fearing my livelihood. “Pure hogwash! Don’t think you can fool me by making up random stuff like that!”

“I’m sorry, Levi,” I said emphatically. “But it’s all the truth.”

“Claudia doesn’t appear to be lying as far as I can see,” Diavolo brought up as he studied me carefully. 

“Levi,” Satan calmly approached his emotional brother. “You know as well as I do that Lord Diavolo has the ability to discern whether someone is telling the truth.” __

“B-but no…!” Levi protested. “Everyone online has been talking about how the Lord of Masks and the Lord of Shadow are totally going to make up- What you said CAN’T happen! It… it just CAN’T!”

“Huh,” Mammon whispered in my ear. “So all that stuff that Simeon told you was true then? How about that? Still, though, how is it that he knows all that?” I playfully shrugged, not saying a word. 

“All right, um…” Asmodeus fluffed his hair, unsure what to do. “Okay, I suppose that settles who the true TSL nerd is…”

“I won’t stand for this,” Levi growled and I felt my soul leave my body. “All you did was stay up one night marathoning the DVDs,” Levi jabbed a finger at me, green as envy. “The idea that someone like YOU could actually be a bigger TSL fan than me, it’s-”

“Wh-whoa, calm down there, Levi!” Mammon stepped up, half shielding me and half reaching out to him. 

“No… No! I WILL NOT STAND FOR THIIIIS!” Levi screamed as a dark energy surrounded and he transformed into an unfamiliar form. With horns like corrupted roots and a long and scaly tall, I knew that this couldn’t mean anything good. My throat was caught in my throat as Mammon yelled out to me.

“Claudia, run! Get out of here!” I gasped as I stumbled over myself, turning towards the door. My heart was beating 100 miles per hour and my mind became foggy, blinded by my natural instinct to flee. I could hear people yelling yet I could not register any voices. I felt like I was moving through water as I reached out to grab the doorknob. I felt myself freeze up as I felt a force on me. I was wrapped into an embrace and I wondered if this was the day my life would come to an end and my eyes blurred with tears. I squeezed them tight, not ready to face reality. 

“...That’s enough.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	9. Chapter 9: Do Demons Protect the Ones They Care About?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia, in her own words, "is in some deep shit" after cheating during the TSL trivia battle. Levi's gone crazy but someone decides to step in before anything gets worse. Will Claudia be able to make amends with Levi after she has betrayed his trust?

“I believe you were going to settle this via a QUIZ, weren’t you? Not through violence.”

_ Huh…? What was that? And… I’m not dead? _ I thought with confusion as I snuggled closer to the embrace I was in. It felt warm and safe; I wanted time to freeze at that moment, forever surrounded by the tranquility of the state I was in. My eyes slowly opened to the sound of the voice that spoke up and I went crashing back to reality. 

Silent tears rolled down my burning cheeks that were on fire with awe as I looked up at my savior. Lucifer had scooped me up without issue and had me close to his chest. He seemed to have transformed like Levi and he was… so beautiful. I was surrounded by fluttering raven wings that almost seemed angelic. 

“You’re out of control, Levi,” Lucifer warned darkly, his voice full of authority. 

“L...Luicfer,” Levi whimpered as he backed down from his aggressive stance. I glanced at him with glossy eyes and noticed that he wasn’t really that scary looking. He still looked like the nerd that liked to say “lol” instead of actually laughing and making up dorky secret passwords. Mammon was in shock. He looked like he had been running towards me and ready to shield me. 

“Unbelievable!” Asmodeus gasped in the microphone, still acting as a host. “Just as Leviathan was about to strike who should step in and stop him but the one and only Lucifer himself! Simply incredible!”

“I haven’t seen you leap to someone’s rescue like that in quite some time, Lucifer,” Satan admitted with a dumbfounded nature as Lucifer gently set me down as his sharp eyes never left my large and shiny ones.

“Ack,” Beelzebub gagged. “Food caught in throat,” he gasped as he coughed.

“Levi,” Lucifer ordered as his gaze left mine. “Go back to your room and cool off.” Levi said nothing in return, frozen in place.

“Levi?” Diavolo crossed his arms with authority. “You heard what he said, right?”

“Yeah,” he mumbled as he glanced downward before snaking his way out of the room. Mammon stared at Lucifer with a tight expression.

“What is it, Mammon?” Lucifer coldly asked. I was still in shock, not able to speak up as I tried to wipe the tears off my face. “You look like you want to say something.” 

“No, I don’t wanna say nothin’,” Mammon mumbled as he turned away a little but his gaze didn’t leave us. I could feel its intensity. 

“So, what’re we going to do now?” Asmodeus asked, trying to break the tension of the room. “How are we supposed to have our competition without Levi?”

“I guess this means the competition ends in a draw,” Diavolo fairly concluded. “Neither one of them won.”

“I’ve got an idea,” Beelzebub softly grinned, recovered from his choking incident. “You should give your guest free cafeteria meal tickets as a parting gift. Fifty years’ worth ought to do the trick.”

“Still, I have to say,” Satan raised an eyebrow at Lucifer. “I find it surprising that you would go out of your way just to rescue a mere human, Lucifer. Very surprising… Don’t you agree, Mammon?” He turned to his older brother.

“Huh?” Mammon blinked. “Why’re ya askin me?” 

My mind blurred and I felt myself go light-headed while Lucifer explained that it was his duty as the oldest to clean up his siblings’ messes. 

“Lay… I need to go…” I gasped as I fell back, my vision going dark. I heard yelling until that was replaced with silence. 

_ “Will you help them?” _

_ I hesitated before speaking. _

_ “Will they even accept my help?” _

_ A laugh echoed like a thousand chiming bells. _

_ “Not at first, but I know they will one day. They’re so stubborn. Well, stubborn is an understatement, haha.” _

_ “...Fine, I want to help.” _

_ A contract was handed to me. _

_ “Make sure you pack everything you need, this will be a long journey. When you’re ready, just sign your name on the contract.”  _

_ “This is insane-” _

_ “Or perhaps a miracle?” I was interrupted with a smile. _

_ “Yeah, a miracle.”  _

I slowly opened my eyes to see the view of my bedroom ceiling, made up of thick rock and grassy plants. I was in the safety of my bedroom and there was a cool pressure against my forehead. I sat up and the source landed in my lap. It was a cold washcloth. 

“Hey!” Mammon who was sitting at my bedside with bandages snapped. “I’m glad ya are finally awake but you can’t just sit up like that! I’m trying to bandage up ya wrist anyway.” He mumbled as he fiddled with the bandages that he was wrapping around my right wrist. Beel was sitting at my table nearby. He offered me a wave and a light smile while he munched on some leftovers from our movie marathon. “So, ya made it out of that without being attacked only to end up fallin’ on your butt, spraining’ your wrist, and passing out from exhaustion,” Mammon shook his head. “Seriously, could you be any more of a weak klutz.” 

“I sprained my wrist?” I quietly asked as I looked down at my arm. “I didn’t even realize that I did, but now I can feel the pain. And yeah, I’m a pretty weak human,” I sighed before letting out a forced laugh. 

“You humans really are way less physically capable than us demons,” Beel nodded in agreement. “That’s because they don’t eat enough and unlike us, they don’t eat the right things.”

“Stop tying everything back to food, Beel!” Mammon moaned in annoyance. “Actually, why’re you even here, anyway? I was the one that brought her up and you had to tag along. Seems to me that you’ve been spendin’ an awful lot of time here ever since last night.”

“Well,” he shrugged. “So have you, I mean,” he looked over at a corner. “You’ve even left a cell phone charger here- and a toothbrush, too.”

“W… Well that’s because, uh,” he paused flustered, as he closed his eyes and mindlessly wrapped my wrist without paying attention. “You know, I’ve gotta look after this human, don’t I? It’s my job...” 

“Mammon,” Beel sighed as he got up and started to walk over to the bed. “You’re doing a terrible job with those bandages.” I glanced down at my mummy hand and started to laugh. 

“Hey, shut up!” Mammon blushed. “I’ve never had to wrap someone’s wrist before, okay? I don’t know how it works!”

“You’re trying your best and I know you care, so thank you,” I smiled. “How long have the two of you been here?” I asked before frowning. “I feel really bad about this whole situation that I’ve dragged everyone into. I made Levi mad, I went off and I got hurt, and the two of you were stuck watching over me.”

“I don’t mind,” Beel said as he piled up several pizza slices in his hand. Looks like I missed dinner. “Just glad you're awake,” he said with a full mouth.” Huh, these need soda.”

“Beel!” Mammon’s eyes widened. “Hey, those are my slices!”

“I’m going down to the kitchen,” Beel happily declared as he left my room and Mammon yelled at him, not leaving my side. 

“Hey, Beel! You put down one of those slices you’re holdin’ right now! HEY!” His yells were in vain. With Beelzebub gone, Mammon turned back to me and a silence floated over the room. 

“Of all the..” Mammon cussed as he grunted. “Seriously does that guy ever stop eatin?!”

“Nope,” I giggled as he got up for a moment to set down the bandages he was using on my wrist. “I was lucky enough to save you some slices,” he mentioned as he placed two on a plate and brought it back to me. “You better keep an eye on your pizza or eat it fast before he steals yours away next.” 

“Thank you for saving me some,” I thanked Mammon as I took the plate with my left hand. “That was sweet of you.”

_ He really has changed a lot, _ I smiled to myself and blushed. 

“No problem,” he cleared his throat and sat back down beside me. “Ah, um… By the way, there’s somethin I want you to know.” He hesitated before getting very serious. “Listen… The next time your life’s in danger, I’m gonna be the one to save you, all right? Don’t forget that… And if I can’t manage to save ya, then make sure you die, got it?!” He snapped. “I don’t want no one else steppin’ in and savin’ you, all right?! It’s me or no one, understand?!” I said nothing as I tried to hold back my laugh before howling with a goofy laugh.

“Wha- What’s that for?!” Mammon got even more embarrassed and I reached over and fluffed his hair with my hand.

“That was just really sweet in your own silly way,” I smiled with unconditional happiness. “I scared you earlier today, didn’t I? I’m sorry and.. All right,” I agreed softly. “I got it. I’ll let the Great Mammon protect me.”

“G-good… And I’m n-not a kid so stop messing with my hair.” I slowly remove my hand. 

“Sorry, sorry!” I blushed. “I keep doing that, don’t I? I’ll stop if you don’t like it.”

“It’s not bad but jeez, you should just always agree with me like that. You’re so weird, you get all meek and start apologizing a lot, but that’s after you do somethin’ real ballsy. You’re somethin’ else, ya know that?”

“As you like to remind me,” I raised an eyebrow with a knowing look. We suddenly heard a rhythmic buzzing hum and Mammon looked around.

“Huh?” He scrunched up his face a little. That ain’t my phone, is it yours?”

“Good question,” I mumbled as I felt around and found my ringing phone. My eyes widened as I saw who the contact was: Leviathan. I debated if I should even answer the phone. 

_ Holy shit, it’s Levi. Should I answer the phone? But wouldn’t it be worse if I didn’t? Maybe he wants to talk and I know that I should talk to him. It wouldn’t be fair if I ghosted him, that’s not how to solve a problem.  _

I gulped and shot a worried glance at Mammon before answering the phone.

“Hello,” I said slowly, not wanting to say more until I could get an impression of how Levi was feeling.

“Hey, come down to the planetarium, now. I’ll be waiting,” he said shortly. 

“Um, okay, just give me-” He hung up on me. I shook my head in disbelief. 

“Aye, was that Levi?” Mammon jumped up all protective. “What business does he have with ya? Do I need to go and show him what’s what?!” 

“No, no, no, I’m good, really,” I tried to comfort Mammon as I rose from the bed. “He wants me to meet him in the planetarium. He didn’t say why, but I don’t think it takes a genius to know why. I’ll be fine, I don’t think he’ll harm me.” I smiled to ease Mammon’s worries. I stretched. “I’m going to go change, alright?”

“Yeah, alright…” Mammon scratched the back of his neck as he turned to leave. “Ya better not let him do anything though,” He snapped as he stepped out of my room.

“I won’t,” I bluntly called back and made sure my door was closed before changing out of my uniform and into some sweatpants and a shirt that had some witty quote on it. I glared over at my uneaten slices of pizza. 

“Farewell, my loves, for our union was never meant to be,” I dramatically told myself as I pretended to faint before grabbing my D.D.D and heading downstairs to the planetarium. I tried to chill my nerves with a deep breath as I stepped into the circular room that was covered in windows that had the view of the sparkling night sky. 

_ It’s so impressive that there is a planetarium here, but I wonder, who out of all of the brothers likes astronomy?  _

“Finally,” Levi frowned as he turned around to face me. He had been staring out one of the large windows in silence before noticing my presence. I felt my body tense up as a reaction. “It took you long enough. When I call for you, you need to come right away, understand?” I didn’t expect this. I assumed Levi wouldn’t even want to see me, but here he was acting like a jealous boyfriend. “Don’t walk, run. I want you moving at light speed.” I crossed my arms and could feel my eye twitch in aggravation. 

“That’s a little hard to do when I’m so weak after just waking up, Levi. I also wanted to change out of my uniform,” I sighed but weakly smiled. “I’m glad that you wanted to talk though, I think we need to.”

“Well next time you should race over like the way Henry races over whenever his best friend the Lord of Shadow calls on him,” he said softly with a sad expression. “You saw the TSL DVDs, so you should know.” I felt my body slowly relax at the comment. “He comes riding up on the winged unicorn that he won off the Lord of Fools in a bet.”

“It’s a good scene,” I smiled. “I’ll be your Henry next time.

“N-Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you and I are best friends or anything. As if.” He scoffed. “So, do you know why I called you here?”

“I hope it’s the same reason that I came down here,” I got closer to the otaku. “I want to patch things up between us.”

“EXCUSE ME?” Levi yelled and I jumped a little. “What do you mean patch things up?” He wasn’t looking at me but glaring at the ground. “In order to patch things up, we would’ve had to have been on good terms to begin with, wouldn’t we?” He glanced back up at me and I made sure not to break eye contact with him. “I don’t remember you and me being buddies. Not any time in the last 5,000 years at least. So, don’t go getting the wrong idea…” He paused and scowled as he picked something up from a leather chair nearby and held it behind his back. “All right, look. Here’s the thing. You remember why we decided to have that competition in the first place, right? It was to see who the bigger TSL fan was.”

“Yes, of course,” I nodded.

“And I told you that if you won, I’d enter into a pact with you.”

_ Huh?  _ My eyes widened as I felt myself blush.

“That little trump card you pulled out was a real dirty trick…” I felt myself sadden as I clutched my hands to my chest. 

“I know,” I told him. “I felt really bad about what I did. I basically cheated…”

“But,” I looked up at Levi who held a sincerity in his eyes. “A promise is a promise, after all. It really kills me to do this… it makes my stomach churn. But, I’ll keep my end of the bargain. I’ll do it,” he smiled at me with a nod. “I’ll make a pact with you.”

“Really?” I gasped with glee and hugged Levi. “T-thank you- oh sorry,” I quickly pulled away. “I got a little too excited- I um, don’t really hug a lot so I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable.”

“Hmp,” He covered his mouth with the back of his free hand, blushing. I felt the same burning sensation I did when I made a pact with Mammon on my right thigh as I was surrounded by a purple light. 

“...So,” Levi cleared his throat. “What’s this all about, anyway? There’s something you’re not telling me, isn’t there?” He narrowed his eyes. “A normie human like you asking to make a pact with a demon like me? You must have some sort of ulterior motive.” 

“Well, I do actually like you enough to want to make a pact with you,” I argued. “But um…” I fiddled with my hair.

“This is about more than just making a pact, right?” Levi guessed. “You’re after something else. Go on, spill the beans.”

“Can I borrow your copy of the TSL soundtrack? I asked for it earlier but I knew that I had to prove myself to you first.”

“AHA! I knew it!” He yelled. “I knew no one would actually WANT to make a pact with me-”

“That’s not true!” I yelped as I waved my arms. “I’m honored to be in a pact with you!”

“Honored?” He mumbled. “You’re weird, normie.” He moved his hand from behind his back and held out a record case. “Well, I don’t know what you’re planning on doing with my record, but,” Levi hesitated as if he was giving away his firstborn. “Just don’t sell it, understand?”

“I would never,” I promised as I gently took it from him.

“You’d better give it back when you’re done, is that clear?” Levi started to rant as if he was telling a babysitter what to do while taking care of his kid. “If you touch it, make sure you wipe off any fingerprints-” He went on and I just nodded with a little smile. 

_ For wanting to find a way to escape, I sure keep on doing things that make me not want to leave,  _ I lectured to myself.  _ I feel homesick- but do I really want to go home? Ugh, I’ll have to think about it later. Now, it’s time to go to Lucifer and pray that he takes the bait… After pulling so many risks, this better be worth it.  _

I eventually parted from Levi with the vinyl record, determination flowing through my blood. I wasn’t going to sit around and wait for answers- I was going to find them, and I planned on finding them that very night. I first tried Lucifer’s room, softly knocking on the door. 

“The door’s open. Come in,” he responded. I adjusted my outfit, suddenly feeling very self-conscious, before stepping into Lucifer’s room. His room was large and held a gothic elegance that fitted Lucifer just as well as the gloves on his hands. 

“Ah, Claudia,” Lucifer looked up from his chair. He was drinking a cup of tea while looking through a stack of files. “I see that you’re finally awake,” he slightly smiled with a warm look in his cool eyes- it was quite the paradox. “Today was really quite the disaster, wasn’t it?”

“I wish I could be optimistic, but I’m afraid I can’t disagree with your statement,” I replied as I closed the door behind me. 

“But despite all that happened,” Lucifer went on with a regretful expression. “You should know that Levi’s not normally like that. He may be a high-ranking demon, but he’s quite harmless by nature. Try not to hold it against him.”

“Don’t worry, I can tell,” I reassured him as I moved to the Avatar of Pride. “I pushed all of his buttons, so of course he would respond how he did…” I blushed a little as I remembered the events that took place earlier. “Thank you for protecting me. I know you acted out in the interest of the exchange program, but it meant a lot to me that you did that.” 

“It is not a problem at all, the situation didn’t escalate further so I think everything turned out alright,” Lucifer set down his teacup as he dismissed my gratitude. “So, tell me, what brings you here at this hour? I’m sure you have something else on your mind.”

“Yes, I do. Here,” I held out the vinyl copy of the TSL soundtrack. “I got you this to show my gratitude. A little birdy told me that this would interest you.”

_ Please work, please work, please, please! _

“Wh…!” I’ve never seen Lucifer so taken aback. “Is this what I think it is? Ah,” he knowingly smiled as he took the record from me. “Now I get it. So, this is why you wanted to make a pact with Levi. Do you realize what it is you’ve got here, what it represents?”

“I must admit, I don’t.”

“I don’t imagine you would,” he lightly chuckled. “This isn’t any ordinary soundtrack, you see. There’s quite a history to it.”

“What’s the story behind it?” I asked, getting very interested. 

“I don’t have any particular interest in  _ The Tale of the Seven Lords  _ as a story, you see. What interests me is the background of the person who served as the first composer for the TSL movies. You see, the composer I speak of is dead now. He killed himself.” 

“Yikes… How horrible,” I whispered. 

“The final song he wrote before his death was meant to be used in the scene where the Lord of Corruption puts a curse on the heroes. But due to the composer committing suicide, they decided not to use that track,” Lucifer sighed with a hint of sorrow. “They saved it, but didn’t release it to the public. However, a group of diehard fans pooled their own funds and had a very limited number of vinyl editions produced. As you might have guessed by now,” Lucifer held up the record. “This record is one of the few that were created.”

“Wow, I can see why Levi was so protective of it,” I said with a newfound understanding.

“That’s not all. All of the people involved in its creation, as well as every single person who owned a copy of it, ended up dying mysteriously,” Lucifer continued as I held on to his every single word. “So, people started saying the record itself was cursed. I heard that all of these had been destroyed.” Lucifer smiled down at the record as if he had just received a birthday present. “But all his time. Levi has had a copy. I had no idea. I really do appreciate you bringing this to me,” he nodded as he rose from his seat. “I think I’ll spend tonight savoring every last note of this music here…” 

“I’m glad you like it,” I eagerly smiled, trying not to show my intentions. 

_ It’s nice to see Lucifer so passionate about something but yes! This is my chance. Oh goodness. _

“...Which means I probably won’t be able to bring myself to leave my room tonight.” I blinked. 

_ Oh no, does he know my plan? Is he tricking to see if I will take his bait? _

“You see,” He went on to explain that as creatures of temptation, demons can’t resist it. “Right now what I want is to stay up all night listening to this record. I can’t help it… I have to do it.”

“It’s nice to see you so excited,” I offered as he moved to his record player.

“But don’t think that means you’re free to climb the stairs to the attic, Claudia.” I resisted the urge to nervously fiddle. “That place is off-limits,” he glanced over his shoulder at me.

“Of course,” I nodded. “Yes sir…”

“Well then,” he smiled as he pulled out the slick record with a gloved hand. “Good night.” I offered my farewells as well as I slipped out of the room. I felt like I had been holding my breath as I stopped for a moment to calm my pounding heart. I wasn’t a very rebellious person, but my gut told me that I had to find up what was in the attic and that it would change everything. 

_ Lucifer has expressly forbidden me from going up into the attic, but… _ I thought as I found myself standing at the base of the spiraling staircase.  _ Oops, I’m just a special human that doesn’t know any better! I slipped upstairs, how silly of me!  _ I started to carefully climb my way up, making my steps as light as a feather. It was as if I made even the slightest noise, Lucifer would here and come rushing to the attic.  _ What is he hiding? A sex room- I mean, it couldn’t be a person, right? I thought I heard someone call out for help that one night, but that would be kidnapping… He’s a demon, but Lucifer wouldn’t do that… right?  _

“...Claudia,” I heard someone call out my name and I froze on the staircase. I panicked thinking it might be Lucifer before I realized that it was unfamiliar and coming upwards.

_ Or apparently he would kidnap a person. _ I sighed as I shuddered with fear and disappointment. I quickened my pace as the voice continued. 

“Finally, no one is going to stop you. Now’s your chance. Come… This way, Claudia.” 

I slowed my pace to a stop as I finally made my way to the top to find a thick door and two purple eyes looking my way. 

_ Who… Who is this?  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I wonder who this stranger could POSSIBLY be? Oh, Belphegor, you angry and angsty demon cowman, why must you drag poor humans into your problems? Anyway, thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	10. Chapter 10: Do Demons Kidnap People????

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia finally meetings the stranger that has been calling out to her and he is a hard character to read. She ends up having more questions than answers after meeting him and Lucifer doesn't make his image any better after threatening her! What a mess!

“I know you were the one person who’d be able to find me,” the stranger with dripping purple eyes offered me a smile as I laid eyes on him. He was hanging off of the bars of the door lazily. His hair was long and dark in the front with white streaks. 

“Who are you?” I whispered, almost afraid to speak, fearing that someone would find out what I was doing. 

“Who am I?” He glared off a little into the dark distance. “...That’s a good question. I forgot the answer long ago, myself.”

_ So he’s been here a long time? I mean, he could be afraid to share information about me since I’m living here. So he could be lying, but I don’t want to question the credibility of someone locked up, it feels wrong.  _

“Are you a demon?” I asked, hoping I could learn as much as I could about this mysterious stranger. 

“Don’t be ridiculous!” He gasped. “Just the thought of being one of them is enough to send a shiver down my spine. I’m a human,” he nodded, “Just like you. A demon imprisoned me in here long ago, and I’ve been stuck here ever since. It was Lucifer,” he spit out his name like poison. “I’m guessing you’ve met him. Well, that demon is the one who locked me in here.” I felt my stomach drop. My worst fears were becoming a harsh reality. Lucifer had really kidnapped someone. “I’m begging you, Claudia,” the stranger pleaded as he grasped onto the bars. “You’ve got to get me out of here. I’m asking for your help…”

“You poor person,” I offered the stranger all of my sympathies. “Of course, I’d like to help you in any way I can.” 

“Thank you,” the stranger gave me a cute smile. “I knew I could count on you, Claudia.”

“Um, but…” I hesitated, not wanting to seem suspicious. “How do you know my name?” 

“Lucifer has briefly mentioned you,” he sighed as he pushed some hair behind his ear. “I also heard him talk to you at the bottom of the stairs. That’s how I knew your name.”

“Of course, that makes sense,” I felt stupid that I had even asked that. “Okay, please continue.” 

“I’m going to tell you what you need to do,” the stranger leaned in closer with a serious tone. “Make sure you listen closely.” I nodded as I also leaned in. “Now, you can’t open this door, neither of us are capable of that.” 

“Is it because it’s a magical door?” I asked, studying the tall and detailed barred door. 

“That’s right, it is sealed with powerful magic. In order to break the seal, you need the consent of Lucifer and his six brothers. But,” he frowned with venom in his eyes. “But they’re not exactly nice folks. It’s not like all we have to do is ask politely and they’ll lift the seal. You must already know that, right?”

“Yes, but they aren’t unreasonable,” I protested. “I can tell that they warm up once you get to know them better.” 

“That’s why you’re a special case,” the mystery man smiled cunningly. “You can make them do it.”

“Uh, I know you said I can’t just ask them, so what should I do? I don’t think there is an easy solution.” I sighed as I picked at my nails. 

“Well, there’s no need to ask when you have the power to bend demons to your will,” he cheekily responded. “What I’m trying to say is that you should make pacts with these demons- all of them.” 

“Woah, woah, woah!” I backed up a little. “Okay, I’ve already made two pacts but I didn’t really want to- it kind of just happened by chance… um-”

“Mammon and Leviathan, right? Well, doing the same to the rest of them will be just as simple,” he shrugged.

_ I don’t think I can call the process of making a pact with them simple… ugh, I want to help, so it looks like I’m not going home any time soon,  _ I groaned to myself before biting my lip _. Wait a minute-  _

“How do you know about who I’ve made pacts with?” I raised an eyebrow as I crossed my arms. 

“That’s not important,” he brushed off my concerns. “What matters is that I’m counting on you to come through for me, Claudia.” I felt guilt sting my heart. “You’re the only one who can help me now. You’re my sole ray of hope in this bleak, bleak world.”

“Okay, okay,” I replied slowly. “I feel like you aren’t telling me everything, but I’ll go along with your plan.” 

“Thank you,” he smiled. “First, you’ve got to start by gaining their trust. And if you want to do that, you can’t tell them you came here and spoke with me. Whatever you do, don’t mention that.”

“Of course, that would be self-sabotage. Now, just who should I start with first?”

“Let’s see, you should probably start with…” The stranger thought carefully. “Beelzebub. Yes, he’d be the best choice. You need to get close to him. I have faith in you, Claudia. I know you’ll get me out of here.” I had so many more questions, but I knew it would be unwise to stay any longer. I offered a few more words of empathy to him before dashing away, praying that Lucifer would not find out. 

Of course, I thought I was completely screwed the next morning when I entered the dining hall and greeted by Lucifer instantly with an unreadable expression. 

“Good morning, Claudia.”

“Good morning, Lucifer,” I responded a little shyly to his greeting. 

“I have to say,” he smiled, pleased. “I enjoyed last night immensely. I listened to that record over and over. I can’t tell you how many times.” 

“Really?” My eyes sparkled happily. “I’m so glad,” and I actually was. Outside of tricking him, which I hated that I was doing, I admired Lucifer’s passion.

“Well, and because of that, I’m running on far too little sleep today. But I’m in a great mood.” His face became blank again. “I see you’re up late today.” I tried not to let my expression drop. “I take it you didn’t get much sleep either.”

“Oh,” I laughed a little. “I was just catching up on what I missed when I stayed up all night the other day. Robinson’s love sleep!”

“So,” he narrowed his eyes. “Nothing happened last night to keep you up?”

“Oh um, well, maybe something- yeah, something did…” I couldn’t lie, but I wasn’t going to give the whole truth, even if I would feel like shit for lying. Lucifer actually laughed.

“You seem to be the type of person that has trouble lying,” he smirked. “You may not be the cleverest person around,” my face became a little red with anger. “But you’re honest, I’ll give you that.” 

“I’m not stupid or anything, don’t insult my intelligence! I just get guilty when I lie!” I protested, my voice high and a little whinny.

“Now, I didn’t say you were stupid, now did I?” He calmly placed his hand on my head and my voice trailed over. “Let me give you a piece of advice. You should focus on surviving this year here, finishing the exchange program, and going back to the human world,” he removed his hand as he carefully glared at me. “That’s all you need to concern yourself with. Would you like me to make it a bit clearer for you?”

“Uh, I think I-”

“‘Curiosity killed the cat’,” Lucifer snapped. Surely you’ve heard this expression? Well,” his voice became darker and I felt my hands get sweaty. “Curiosity can literally get you killed here as well.” I couldn’t hide my fear as I shrank a little into myself. “Hmm, I guess that’s more of what you’d call a word of warning than a piece of advice… Eh,” he casually adjusted his uniform. “But why split hairs?” I let out an uneasy laugh. “Forget all about what happened last night. I allowed you to satisfy your own curiosity as a favor to you since you brought me that record, but rest assured,” Lucifer promised me. “It won’t happen again.” He turned around on his heels and stormed away. As soon as he disappeared from the room, I sunk down on my knees and gasped for air, feeling my chest grow heavy.

_ Am I having a panic attack? My god, my god, _ I screamed inside my head as I pushed myself off the ground.  _ I need to be alone, I need to calm down.  _ I started to run towards my room, choking back my sobs until I felt safe and alone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading another chapter of Miracles. If you ever see any errors in any of my chapters, please let me know. I try to fix as many mistakes as I can, but unfortunately, I don't always notice them all. Also, sorry that this chapter is so short, the next several ones will be much, much longer. Happy reading!


	11. Chapter 11: Do Demons get Part-Time Jobs?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drained and stressed, Claudia snaps at Mammon after he goes too far. Claudia starts to debate her future plans in a moment of weakness.

“I’ve been waiting for this day for so, so long…” Mammon stared on dreamily. “I’ve dreamed of this so many times I can’t even count. All this time we’ve been apart,” Mammon gently caressed who he was speaking to. “I’ve never stopped thinkin’ about you. You really got me wrapped around your finger, ya know that?” He blushed as he slightly looked away. “I thought I was strong, but I just can’t resist you, no matter how hard I try, I never thought I’d see the day when anyone could do this to me,” he whispered. “I’ve fallen so hard for you,” he laughed with joy. “I hope you knew what you were doing when you cast this spell on me, because I’m yours now, and there’s no going back.” Mammon gasped as he jumped up and spun around his most treasured one in joy. “Oh credit card,” he yelled, “CREDIT CARD, BABY! I MISSED YOU SO SO SO MUCH!”

“Wow, if only someone talked to me like that, I’d probably swear my undying love to them, yet you are whispering sweet nothings to a credit card… Of all things…” I dramatically rolled my eyes at Mammon as I mumbled. ‘Goldie’ had finally become completely thawed from her frozen camber after Mammon insisted that she go through the “natural process”. I turned my attention away from the adoring Mammon and glared outside, staring at the lifeless trees of the Devildom from a window. I had worked up the courage to go to RAD after my little panic attack that was spurred by Lucifer’s warnings. Did I deserve to be called out on my actions? Yes. Did my life deserve to be threatened? Probably not. However, even if I was calm enough to attend classes, I was in a horrid mood that was a mix of drained and straight-up bitch.

Not only that, but I was still very embarrassed and anxious about the events that took place earlier. I felt that I had betrayed Lucifer’s trust- but at the same time, I questioned if I should even give a damn about what a kidnapper thought. 

_ There is no denying the fact that Lucifer has someone locked away, and although I don’t know the whole story yet, I do know that what Lucifer did was wrong,  _ I spun my pen around between my fingers.  _ I have to stay in the Devildom and help, it’s the right thing to do.  _

“And now,” Mammon was still hugging on tight to his credit card. “You’ve finally come back to me! I was so worried,” he gasped, “Ya don’t even know. Did that bastard Lucifer mistreat you?” Mammon started to examine “his Goldie” carefully. “To think he went and stuck you in the freezer- the freezer!” He snapped. “You’ve must’ve been so cold, so lonely, so sad… Oh, you poor, poor baby!” His voice became all mushy as he rubbed it against his cheek. “I wuv you so much!” He just kept going on and on… I glared at him with annoyance. 

“Wait,” he noticed me and paused. “What is it? You look like you want to say something. Go on, whatever it is, say it,” he grinned, still on cloud nine. “I’m in such an incredibly good mood right now!”

“You are REALLY weirding me out, Mammon. Your love towards ‘Goldie’ is a little too much, especially right now.” I sighed and placed my cheek against my fist. 

“Fine,” he huffed a little. “Be weirded out, then. It doesn’t bother me. I don’t even care!” He declared with pride. “As long as I’ve got my baby Goldie here with me, that’s all I need.”

_ Ugh. stupid credit card… I almost feel a little jealous, how silly.  _

“I’m sorry,” I sighed. “I’ve just had a rough morning.”

“I can tell,” he nodded. “Ya showed up to our first class late, I thought you were one of those people with sticks up their asses about time.”

“I am,” I laughed a little. “I definitely have a stick up my ass- but I um, I had to deal with something first before arriving here and I couldn’t wait on it.” I wasn’t going to tell him that I had a mental breakdown, I didn’t want to know how he would view me afterward. I wasn’t ashamed of my mental illnesses but I tried not to let them define me. I was good at coping with and masking my illnesses, however, every now and then, stress and pressure got to me. I thought that if the demon brothers found out about the more personal side of me, that they would view me as an even weaker human that doesn’t deserve respect. As a young, human girl, I didn’t want another reason for them to look down at me.

“So ah,” I cleared my throat a little. “I’ve been wondering, what will you spend all of that money on?” 

“Hey, whoa… wait a minute,” Mammon held his hands up. “Claudia, don’t tell me ya actually think that- oh, I don’t believe this!” He looked a little sad.

“Um, what’s wrong?” I was startled. 

“You actually think I spend all that money on stuff for myself?” He seriously asked me. “Buying the newest models of stuff- Well, you’ve got it wrong! Just shows how shallow humans are!”

“Mhm, okay,” I crossed my arms. “I never accused you of spending it all on possessions.”

“It’s time you found out exactly how magnanimous I can be. Listen and learn,” Mammon demanded.

“I’m a little surprise that you even know the word magnanimous, Mammon,” I teased with a light smile. 

“W-whatever. Um,” he got really serious as he sat down next to me, slipping his credit card into his wallet. “So, there’s this girl I met once in the human world. And when I say girl, I mean little girl. She’s only nine years old, but ever since the day she was born, she’s been stuck in a bed.”

“Oh no,” I gasped as I put my hand to my mouth. “Is she ill?” 

“Yeah, she ain’t well. It’s a serious, long-term sorta situation. She needs surgery,” he explained, “But she ain’t got the money for it, and she ain’t got family to look after her either. At this rate, all she can do is wait for death to come.” 

“That’s so sad,” I whispered, my mood turning from grumpy to sympathetic. “Is there really no hope for her?” I leaned closer to Mammon with wide eyes and he blushed. 

“Well, I got to thinkin’, I want to do whatever I can to help her. I know that’s not a very me thing to think, but it’s true. Still,” he scratched his head. “The fact is that I’m a demon. I can’t very well be caught actin’ like an angel, ya know? So, I sent her all sorts of stuff- and I did it anonymously so no one would know it was me.”

“Mammon,” I gasped as I hugged onto his arm. “That is so sweet. You may be a demon, but you are an angel to me and that little girl!” I brightly smiled at him, hoping to motivate him and be proud of himself. 

“I know, right? Right? I AM sweet, aren’t I?” He boasted. “Seriously, maybe I am an angel. You, humans, have a word for this sorta thing, right?” 

“That’s right,” I nodded. “It’s an ‘anonymous angel’.”

“Yeah, that’s it, that’s what I am. Though, I guess in my case I’m actually an ‘anonymous devil,’ huh?” I laughed a little not because it was funny, but because Mammon was making me feel all bubbly, breaking me away from my foulness. “So, NOW you get it, don’t you? You understand what a great guy I am.” 

“Mammon, I already thought you were a good person,” I quietly admitted as I felt my face lit up like fire.  _ I’m holding his arm, I’ve never done this before, eeeeeeeeeee,  _ I screamed to myself, my heartbeat increasing. 

“Heh, well ah, anyway, that’s what I’ve been keepin’ from ya,” Mammon stated.

“I’m really impressed, and I don’t say that often,” I whispered to him.

You know, everyone’s always talking about what a scumbag I am, but I’m not as scummy as they make me out to be!”

“There you go lying again,” We heard and I looked up to see Levi standing over us. Mammon yelped, startled and I quickly let go of Mammon’s arm.

“Good morning Levi,” I smiled but my face dropped. “Wait, did you say lying?” I slowly looked back at Mammon. Mammon tensed up in a panic. 

“Don’t go sneaking up and scaring me like that!” Mammon yelled, not meeting my gaze. 

“Well,” Levi glared. “I wouldn’t have to if you weren’t such a liar. I have to say, I’m impressed,” he shrugged. “That was quite a story. Lying really comes naturally to you, doesn’t it Mammon?”

“I’m not lying, it’s the truth!” Mammon protested at his brother. 

“Oh yes, you are,” Levi said blankly. “You can’t fool me. I know about what happened, Mammon. I know that ten witches were fighting over who got to make a pact with you. So, Lucifer persuaded them to cut you into ten pieces and divide you amongst themselves. He planted the idea by making it appear in the tea leaves when they were doing their divination.”

“HEY!” Mammon jumped up to face Levi. “Who told you about that?! Also, there WEREN’T ten witches, there were just three! Three witches were pressuring me for a pact! Get it right!” I growled as I slammed my hand on the desk, getting looks nearby and standing up. I hunched my head down as my shoulders shook.

“Normie?” Levi whiserped. 

“You LYING BASTARD, ” I snapped at Mammon and pushed past him, walking away. “I can’t believe I believed you,” I let out a shocked laugh. “First you lied and then you let a bunch of women take advantage of you!” I kept yelling and mumbling in frustration as I left the room.

“Wait, wait!” Mammon gulped. “Human, I-” His phone started to ring.

“Mammon,” I could hear Levi speak up. “Are you going to answer that?” 

“Huh… um yeah….. You want me to come to the club? Right now? In a limousine?” I couldn’t hear anymore, partly because I was too far away as I stomped down a RAD hallway and partly because I couldn’t stomach any more. 

I didn’t slow my pace until I was outside in the courtyard and I slumped down onto some stairs. I covered my face with my hands and I rested my elbows on my knees. 

_ I hate myself…. I hate myself….  _ I cursed at myself and allowed my mind to go blank as I listened to the soft wind, my eyes closed against my hands. I didn’t stay like that for long, because I felt something hit my long legs. I slowly rose my head from my hands to see a flyer plastered to my leg. 

_ Huh?  _ I peeled it from my leg and held it up, studying it. The pink and purple advertisement was rather familiar to me. 

“Sorry, Claudia!” A voice called out and I looked away from the poster to see a bubbly Asmodeus bouncing towards me carrying a stack. “Hey hey,” he smiled down at me with his usual charm. 

“Is this yours?” I asked as I held up the flyer and he nodded. “I saw one of these ads back at the House of Lamentation on my first day,” I explained, “I didn’t realize the job was still available.”

“Oh, are you interested?” The Avatar of Lust grinned. 

“I mean, it did catch my eye,” I shyly admitted as I brought the poster back down in front of me and read off of it. “Part-time job available at Devhora, good pay, and flexible hours…” I looked back up at Asmodeus. “I was mostly interested by the fact that it was a job at a makeup place. I do my makeup all the time, and I don’t want to brag, but I think I’m pretty skilled at it.” 

“Oh, if you are interested, then why not try out for it?” Asmodeus suggested. I looked down a little in concentration. 

_ I’ve never even had a job before, I’ve never needed one. Even if I did want one, I was always so busy with school activities that I never had time. It would be nice if I could support myself here and I am planning on helping that stranger get free from Lucifer so I will be here for a while… _

“I might,” I smiled a little. “I pulled the flyer off the corkboard back at the House of Lamentation because I was planning on trying out if I felt like I didn’t have a choice but I forgot about it,” I admitted with a laugh. “I’m surprised it’s still open. Asmodeus, do you know the owner? Is that why you have a bunch of flyers?” I stood up and folded the flyer in my hands up. I casually slipped it into my RAD jacket pocket. 

“Yup, I do,” he struggled to hold the stack together against the wind and he started to walk up the stairs, heading inside. I trailed along behind him. “I shop at Devhora all the time so of course she would know me. Their beauty products are to die for! We’re also pretty good friends. She throws the best parties.” I opened the door for Asmodeus and stepped inside RAD after him.

“Would your friend hire me, even if I am human?” I asked the chatty Asmodeus as I started to help him decorate the walls with the bright posters. 

“Would she?” He asked himself and then smiled my worries away. “Probably, she’s not a demon so she won’t try to eat you or anything.” I found his voice to be a little too cheerful, especially considering the fact that he was talking about someone eating me. “Aminata, my friend, is a witch so you don’t have to worry your sweet little head about her gobbling you all up! Oh, but her customers might,” he added on. 

“That’s… nice,” I sighed. 

“But she would totally protect you, I mean, having to go through the hiring process again would be such a drag, don’t you agree?” Asmodeus asked, obviously not caring about the fact that such a motivation was morally skewed.

“Uh, yeah,” I agreed, not really feeling like whining about the value of my life. I continued to help Asmodeus until my next class approached and we parted ways. The folded up hiring ad for Devhora lingered in my jacket pocket as I mused my options throughout the day. I didn’t see Mammon during the rest of the school period, and I wasn’t sure why. Sure, I was mad at him, but I didn’t want to give him the cold shoulder and let one dumbass move ruin any sort of friendship that we had. I had the suspicion that he was purposefully avoiding me. When the school day ended, I was determined to set things straight.

I watched panic set over Mammon’s face when he saw me leaning up against his yellow sports car. We usually walked to campus due to the short distance from the House of Lamentation to RAD, however, Mammon had driven us to RAD that day because it had rained earlier. I thought it was shocking that it even rained in the Devildom considering there wasn’t even a sun or sunlight in the realm, but I shrugged it off. A part of me was just thankful that the weather seemed to be normal in the Devildom and that it didn’t do anything bizarre like rain burning hot lava. 

“Mammon, come here,” I called out, accidentally ordering him. He turned to turn around but the magical pull of my command dragged him over. 

“Hey, come on, not cool!” He snapped at me, as he stumbled in front of me. 

“I didn’t mean to order you,” I shrugged a little with a smile. “I meant it to be more like a friendly suggestion.” I patted the spot next to me and crossed my arms. “And what would you do, run away and hide inside a classroom closet until morning? Let’s talk.” Mammon sighed and moved to my side. 

“Look, I-” He started to say and I interrupted him. 

“First, before you say anything, can I tell you a story?” I asked as I looked over at him. “I’ll let you say whatever you need, I promise, okay?” 

“Yeah, yeah, go ahead,” he mumbled and ran a hand through his hair nervously. 

“Let’s see,” I glanced up, thinking. “A few years ago, I met this guy that I thought was beyond annoying. I groaned and chastised him all the time for his obnoxious behavior. I thought of him as a classmate, and nothing more, but that changed when I reached out to him.” I looked down and fiddled with my skirt. Talking about this always made me feel nostalgic and emotional. “Someone he was close to died, so I reached out to him in an attempt to comfort him. We became friends, and I realized we had chemistry.” Mammon intently listened, his eyes not leaving me. “I never acted on it, at first… I was nervous and ah, we both showed that we cared in subtle ways, I would always lecture him, and he would always tease me. Long story short, after a year of being close, we admitted our feeling on a school trip to China. I was so happy and I had never felt so… not in love, but giddy. I hadn’t liked anyone like that before and I was excited, but, I was blinded by my emotions.” I frowned and I felt myself tense up. 

“Mammon, I reacted so negatively today because I hate liars. I hate them. Liars have bad intentions and tend to be narcissistic pricks who end up hurting people in the worst possible ways.” I pushed myself off the car and faced him. “I’m not saying you’re some asshole who hurt me, but that sometimes I have triggers. You might not care about my stories and I usually don’t share them, but I think it’s important that you know why I react the way I do.” I sighed and smiled. “I was mad because I believed another lie and I was mad about the fact that you are being used. I also just wasn’t having a good time earlier,” I admitted. “So, um, I don’t want you to think I hate you or anything, you would have to do a lot to me for that to happen,” I laughed a little, embarrassed but feeling better. “I don’t want us to have any misunderstandings.” 

“Yeah, I don’t wanna have any either,” Mammon agreed as he placed his hands on his hips. “We’re in a pact now, so we shouldn’t fight or yell or anything. I don’t want you to think I’m scummy like the others,” He sighed and I smiled. 

“And I don’t,’ I comforted him. 

“Thanks, human,” I thought I could see a blush form on his cheeks. “Uh, a-anyway! I guess I should say sorry, cause I wasn’t cool lying. I just thought that you would think I was cool, and telling you the truth makes me sound like I’m not the GREAT Mammon and the scummiest of scum. It was stupid thinkin that I could fool you,” he mumbled and pulled out his car keys.

“Yeah, it was,” I said with a raised eyebrow and moved to the passenger side. “Well, whatever, I forgive you as long as you don’t decide to lie and treat me like I’m an idiot again.” 

“Deal,” Mammon beamed as he slid into his car. “But you do some stupid stuff like challenge demons to trivia and marathon shows all night,” he pointed out. 

“To be fair,” I argued as I buckled up. “Those moves were uncharacteristically bold of me and I constantly regret my actions.” I laughed a little and grinned at Mammon as he started to back out of his parking spot. “But I probably did all of that because I have a bad influence,” I teased. 

“Huh, who?” Mammon was a little slow. “Hey!” He yelled in protest. “Well, ya are a bad influence on me. Can’t believe I babysit ya and are in a pact with you-” 

“But is it such a bad thing?” I asked, secretly wanting to know the answer myself. 

“Well,” he didn’t seem to want to tell me the truth. “No, but don’t let it go to that head of yours, got it?”

“Got it,” I nodded and pulled out the folded up poster from my pocket. “Hey, I’m thinking about getting a part-time job. Remember that flyer I was looking at on my first day here? Asmodeus was hanging up some flyers with the same job listing and I decided that I should try out for it.”

“You want a job? Where is it at again? I’m warning ya, if it’s Hell’s Kitchen, you’ll want to stay away,” Mammon seriously warned me. 

“No, it’s not a job at Hell’s Kitchen, it’s at Devhora. It’s a makeup store,” I explained.

“Sounds right up Asmodeus’ alley, he likes stuff like that,” Mammon snorted.

“You’re more right then you know, apparently his friend owns the shop,” I explained. “Do you know someone by the name of Aminata? I think she’s a witch.” Mammon gulped with a shiver. 

“No I don’t,” he whimpered before raising his voice in defense. “But I’ve learned to try and stay away from witches, you should do the same, got it?” 

“Well, not all witches are the same. I’ve never met one, but they can’t all be bad people. I should at least see how Asmodeus’ friend is before making such a judgment.” I offered Mammon a smile. “I’ll be careful and I won’t do anything stupid. I just want a job, that’s all.” 

“Ya know, you don’t have to get one, I mean, the GREAT Mammon could get you anything, b-but that doesn’t mean you are special or anything,” Mammon protested as he tried to lessen the weight of his statement. 

_ Then why do I feel a little special?  _ I asked myself with a blush as I fiddled with my fingers. 

“Thanks, Mammon, but I like to feel independent,” I explained. “It’s just part of my personality. I’d only like to be spoiled by someone that I’m dating,” I admitted. “It’s more… romantic that way, don’t you think?” I felt a little bold bringing up the topic of dating but I didn’t have any intentions towards Mammon, even if a part of me really did want to. Logically, I knew that powerful demons would never view me as something more than a weak human. I tried not to let reality hurt me more than it did, but I had to accept the truth. 

_ I am nothing to them.  _

Mammon went on to awkwardly stumble his way through the conversation due to his now more flustered nature. Later that night, left alone to my own thoughts, I pulled out my phone and the ad. Gently laying them on my bed that I was sitting on, I debated my opinions again. 

_ Pros of a job: I get more experience around demons, I get to learn more about makeup, and I might get to meet some co-workers that I could call friends… and I obviously get paid. Cons of a job: I might have less time to focus on my studies, I’ll be more tired, and I might get eaten by a demon. My boss could also be totally insane- but she’s a girl, so I might not have to worry about being harassed.  _

“That’s depressing,” I mumbled as I picked up my D.D.D. and stared at it. “It’s still within her office hours so if I want to book a job interview I need to do it now…” I took a shaky breath, preparing for the worst, and dialed the number on the flashy poster. I pressed the phone up against my ear, listening to the low hum of ringing. 

“Ring…. Ring… Hello, hello!” A chipper voice answered the phone. “This is the number of Devhora, my precious baby, and the best makeup store in all of the Devildom! This is Aminata, how can I help ya stranger?” 

“Ah, yes, hello,” I cleared my throat and shifted my voice into my professional tone. “My name is Claudia Robinson and I am calling because I am interested in the job that you have available.” 

“Ohohoho,” The stranger playfully responded with a buzz of excitement. “That’s great, and you sound super cute so that’s even better! Let’s set up an appointment right now so you can get the chance to tell me all about you Missy Claudia Robinson!” 

“Yes, ma’am. That would be perfect,” I responded. I blinked a little and couldn’t help but smile a little. Aminata definitely seemed like a character, but I knew that any friend of Asmodeus wouldn’t be boring. 

_ I just hope I am not yet again getting myself involved in too much, _ I thought with worry as I tried to listen to Aminata who was going on about the interview process.  _ The last thing I need is to make my life more complicated. I just want some money so I can treat myself, that’s not so hard now is it?  _

Oh boy, and how wrong I sure turned out to be. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	12. Chapter 12: Do Demons go to job Interviews?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia goes to a job interview and meets some kind but strange people! Will these quirky strangers become her coworkers and possibly her friends?

“Where are you going?” 

I felt a shiver go down my back as I turned around to meet Lucifer’s dark eyes. I grasped my hands together submissively and smiled.

“I’m off to a job interview,” I replied quietly, refusing to drop my smile. 

“Oh, is that why you look so cute?” Asmodeus chimed as he walked into the living room and plopped down next to Lucifer on the sofa. I was dressed differently than my normal attire: I wore a tight black pencil shirt, a blue blazer, and black heels. I had on simple jewelry and my hair was back in a braid with clips in it. “So professional chic!” Asmodeus smiled and clapped his hands together, pleased with my aesthetic. Lucifer’s gaze had not left me and I felt my face heat up and my chest burn with anxiety. 

“Well, I’m off to a job interview,” I stated with a happy shrug. “My first one, in fact.” 

“So you are trying out for that Devhora position!” Asmodeus beamed. “Good luck, good luck!” 

“What’s going on exactly?” Satan asked with a raised eyebrow as he slowed his pace. He had entered carrying a stack of books from the library. 

“Our human is all grown up and is going to a job interview,” Asmodeus explained, loving the entire situation. “You know that shop my friend Aminata owns?” Satan paused his pace to think. 

“Is she the one that invited me to a brand-sponsored party?” He softly asked. Asmodeus huffed and crossed his arms.

“Yes! And I have no idea why she did that- you don’t even like makeup!” Satan sighed, not really caring.

“We met at a movie premiere once. That’s where I got the invitation. It’s not that big of a deal,” Satan brushed it off. I laughed a little. It looked like Satan found himself in situations like that a lot. “Well,” he looked at me and nodded with a small smile. “Good luck.” He left, continuing on his mission. 

“I never realized you were interested in getting a job,” Lucifer admitted and I felt like he was suspicious of me. 

“Well I,” I cleared my throat, “I decided that I needed to become more serious with my dedication to staying here.” 

“And you weren’t before?” He calmly asked and I panicked over my answer but was luckily interrupted by Levi and Mammon entering. Well, it was more like Levi was angrily fast walking after his older, and some would argue, scummy brother. 

“Mammon,” Levi growled as Mammon hop jogged behind me. “Give me back my Ruri-chan figurine.” He looked like he was about to pop a blood vessel.

“Nuh-uh,” Mammon clutched onto the figurine as he hid behind me. “You insulted Goldie’s honor so I’m takin ya most precious belonging!” I sighed and resisted the urge to smack them both.

_ It’s like I’m living with a group of little kids sometimes, _ I groaned to myself. _ It makes it hard for me to fear them as powerful and wise demons when they do stuff like this.  _

“What’s going on here?” I asked before shaking my head. “Nevermind,” I turned around slightly to look at Mammon with a sweet smile. “Come on Mammon, just give back Levi’s figurine.” Levi flipped his dark hair a little, a smugness forming on his face. 

“See? I told you that the normie wouldn’t be stupid enough to take your side,” he started to backtalk to Mammon but I interjected. 

“But,” I said a little too loudly. “Levi needs to also apologize to…” I tried not to laugh. “Goldie.” Levi blinked rapidly in shock. 

“A credit card? You want me to apologize to a thing?” I attempted to casually cross my arms.   
“Well,” I mused. “If someone insulted one of your waifus, you would want an apology. Look, if the two of you don’t grow up, I’m going to order you to do it. You know that I don’t like to do that, but I’m going to be late for my job interview if you two keep at it.” They both glared at each other but mumbled their defeat: “Fine,” “I’ll do it for my Goldie.” 

“Wait,” Mammon’s eyes widened as he handed Levi his slightly suggestive figurine. “The thing is today!” He blushed as he looked at me and I wasn’t sure why. “You look good- real professional- Good luck- aye, if you are going to be late then you better get a move on!” He stuttered as he started to push me out. I felt confused by both his praise and scowling but didn’t question it.   
“Okay, okay!” I yelled and Mammon almost pushed me into Beel who was walking in the hallway eating from a bag of pretzels.   
“What’s going on?” He asked with a mouth full. One hand was holding the bag while the other one was buried into the bag, ready to grab another handful of delights. 

“Claudia got a job interview so she needs to get a move on,” Mammon yelled with more urgency than the situation probably deserved. Beel just nodded, a little surprised. He grunted as he pulled out his hand from the bag and offered me a pretzel. I slowly took it from him and Mammon continued to drag me off. I looked back at Beel who just nodded at me.

“Good luck snack,” is all he said. I whispered a thank you that most likely didn’t reach his ears. 

When I got outside and Mammon finally left me after pestering me, I moved to Mammon’s car. He had offered to drive me and when I refused his offer because I didn’t want to bother him, he just gave me his keys. 

_ “Don’t think too much about it, okay?! You will be annoyin’ later if you start whining about how your feet hurt,” he had told me before running back into the House of Lamentation.  _

I was a decent driver, but such an action was honestly shocking. I would be the definition of cautious. I shivered at the implications of crashing his car. Yet, I was more bubbly with excitement than scared. 

_  
He trusts me enough to drive his car,”   
_  
I smiled to myself as I unlocked it and slid inside. I tossed my briefcase that I was carrying with me in the back.   
_  
That’s a good thing, right? It means we are getting closer- maybe even becoming friends.   
_  
I slowly pulled out of the driveway and drove in silence, alone with my thoughts. When I started to get anxious about my interview, I turned the radio on and let the music drown my thoughts away. It didn’t take me long to arrive at Devhora which was located in a trendy shopping center. I took a moment to take in my surroundings. I was early since I drove and so I didn’t have to rush. 

_ If it wasn’t for a few details here and there,  _ I thought as I glanced over at a hip cafe that had demons and witches sitting outside enjoying coffee and treats while chatting,  _ I would think that I’m back on Earth- the human realm technically- and not in the Devildom.  _ I pulled down the car mirror to check my appearance. I carefully studied my makeup and checked my teeth for food or pepper. I checked the time and took a deep breath. 

_ Okay, I’m ready. It’s getting close to my interview time and it’s better to me early than late.  _

I reached over to the backseat of Mammon’s shiny car and grabbed my briefcase with a grunt before stepping out and locking the car. I took a moment to adjust my skirt before I put on my best poker face and strided towards Devhora. Unlike its human counterpart, Devhora did not have a monochromatic black and white scheme and instead had a much softer aesthetic of baby pink and cream. The entire store was visible from the outside due to the mostly windowed entrance. A few people were wandering around inside but besides that, it was relatively empty. 

When I stepped inside, I was met with the sound of catchy pop music and the whiff of perfume. I nervously glanced around, unsure where I was supposed to go. I cautiously stepped up to the person that was at the cashier. The cashier was a tall guy with a pale complexion and shaggy dark hair that cast over the upper part of his face. I thought that it was a miracle he could see with such hair. The man didn’t seem really concerned about his job because he was hunched over a worn journal, writing away. He wore a bubblegum pink polo and a name tag that simply said “Nickels.” 

_ Nickels? Like the coin? What a bizarre name… _

“Excuse me-” I started to ask with a polite smile. 

“It’s not my real name, you know,” he interpreted with a chuckle and a smirk, not looking up (even if he did look up, I wouldn’t be able to tell due to his hair). His voice was deep, deeper than Lucifer’s, and had a very calming effect to it.

“Oh, um-” I didn’t know how to react. 

_ I must be going crazy, did I mishear him or did he somehow just read my mind?  _

“Oh, sorry,” he clicked his tongue and his mouth together and closed his journal. He looked up, his shaggy bangs meeting my eyes. “I forget that people don’t know that I can read minds,” he sighed as if it was a troublesome inconvenience. “Especially humans, you are one, correct? I can just tell by the way you act, even without sensing your soul.” 

“I hoped it wasn’t that obvious,” I crossed my arms, a little disappointed in myself. I blinked and tensed up, processing his earlier statement. “Wait, did you just say that you can read minds?”

“That’s correct,” he nodded and I felt my jaw drop. “I need you to confirm that again… What am I thinking?” I asked with wide eyes.

“You’re wondering,” this Nickels character shoved his hands into his pants pockets casually. “Why the ‘demon brothers’ can’t do the same- by that you mean read minds?” I nodded, trying to contain myself. He shrugged in return. “Each demon has different powers. Even if they can’t beat minds, they would still beat me in a fight, without a doubt.” He laughed a little, easy-going. “But you’re not here to hear about me, or them, you’re here for the open position.” 

“Yes, that’s right sir,” I nodded. I had so many questions, but I knew that I would have to save them for later if I ever met this Nickels fellow again. “That’s why I came up to you, to ask where I can find Aminata.” Nickels pointed towards the back of the store. 

“She’s back in her office. It’s through that hallway down at the very end. You might have to wait for a moment, you’re a little early and she’s finishing an interview up,” he explained and I followed his gaze. 

“Oh gosh, I knew that I arrived too early,” I frowned at myself. “ I don’t mind waiting though. Thank you, Nickels!” I smiled at the demon before making my way towards the back. I was planning on just waiting out in the hallway until I was let in, however, I didn’t have to wait long at all. 

“You’re ridiculous, this job isn’t worth any of the bullshit you are spewing!” A demon yelled with a scowl as they stormed their way out of the office and bumped shoulders with me. They glared at me with a growl. “Watch it human,” they spat out their words like it was venom. I gulped and felt my legs shake in fear. 

“Aw, but I didn’t even finish my questions!” A cheerful and familiar voice relayed chipperly as the speaker waved from the doorway. The voice belonged to a smiling woman with the darkest and prettiest skin I had ever seen. She had plump cheeks and sparkling coal eyes. Curiously, she wore a bubble gum pigtailed wing on her head; it reminded me of something I would see at an anime convention. When she finished waving, unwavered, at the angry interviewee she turned her attention to me with excitement. 

“Now, if I’m correct,” she grinned as she placed her hands on his hips, “I’m in the presence of Devildom’s biggest trailblazer, Miss. Claudia Robinson!” 

“Trailblazer?” I cautiously asked. 

“Yup, yup, yup,” she skipped over and hooked arms with me. “Oh, I’m Aminata by the way, no last name or fancy title, just Aminata. We don’t do last names around here,” she explained as she led me towards her office. “Sorry about that scene, but some people just have total sticks up their butts, don’t you think? Anyway, his small talk was so dry that there was no way that I was going to hire him. Him walking out made my job soooo much easier!” Aminata continued as she let go of my arm and moved to her desk. Her office was just as pink as her outfit and hair. 

_ I shouldn’t be surprised, but wow… just wow. I like pink but even I think this is a little much,  _ I thought as I sat down in a leather chair in front of Aminata’s wide desk. 

“So,” she laid her chin on her hands, “After our little chat and knowing your name, I did a little digging and found out that you are a student at RAD, and not only that, but you are one of the human exchange students!” She squealed with excitement. “You are like, so in right now! Even those who aren’t students at RAD are talking about you!” I couldn’t hold back my groans. 

“Oh boy,” I mumbled and she waved off my worries. 

“Worried? Don’t be! I mean, only an idiot would attack you now. You have two demons around your pinkie finger- powerful ones at that! You go girl!” Aminata cheered me on. “Anyway, human, demon, I don’t care whatcha are as long as you can get the job done.” I nodded and fiddled with my fingers. “I see you as being a human a bonus anyway! I mean, who wouldn’t want to see you? I can totally get attention to my store by advertising the fact that you work here- but but but! That’s of course,” she slowed her voice and raised an eyebrow, “If I hire you.” 

“Of course ma’am, I understand,” I spoke up. “I wouldn’t expect anything less. I am ready for anything you have to throw at me.” 

“Anything?” She asked as she grasped her hands together with uncontained giddiness. “Ohoho, that gives me so much power! Well,” she cleared her throat. “I GUESS I’ll be reasonable and not make you put on a chicken costume and run through the streets- well, not yet,” she quickly added with a giggle. 

“Please don’t,” I laughed a little, having no idea if she was being serious or not. 

“Now, let’s see,” Aminata mumbled as she straightened some papers she had on her desk. “Before I start asking some questions, can I see your resume and anything else you brought with you?” 

“Of course,” I eagerly set my briefcase on my lap and opened it up. I pulled out a resume I made and several reference photos of me with makeup on. I handed her the papers and carefully watched her reaction as she looked over them while I set my case down on the ground. 

“Good, good,” she hummed and I struggled to read her face. “Okay missy, I have some questions. You might think some are completely unrelated but don’t worry, they aren’t useless!” Aminata beamed as she looked up at me. “Some of them really amuse me!” She looked back down and I felt like I was starting to understand that angry demon’s actions just a little. 

First, we went through the basics: what is your age, have you ever worked in the makeup industry before, what would you say is your biggest flaw? However, soon the questions started to seem unrelated. 

“So, you live with the seven demons brothers,” Aminata stated as she drummed her fingers on her desk. “That is so crazy, guys just don’t get it- how could they put you in a house with a bunch of hot- yet dangerous- demons?” 

“I’ve been asking myself that question too,” I laughed. Spending time with Aminata had made me more relaxed and open up a little. “I mean, I’m already nervous around guys and if I had to defend myself, I would have a hard time, especially against strong demons. My parents would die if they knew what was going on. I’m almost 18, but I still feel so young and like I’m in unknown territory around so many guys.” 

“Exactly,” Aminata gasped. “And like, guys are so gross. I’m sure they have to stop themselves from doing stuff around you that they would normally do.” 

“Normally do..?” I was a little confused. 

“Like,” Aminata threw her hands up, “Walk around in just their underwear and leave their playboy magazines out.” 

“W-what?” I blushed and Aminata grinned at my response. “I mean, my dad walks around in his underwear during the night but that’s different…” I looked down at my lap. Aminata laughed. 

“So, they haven’t been too mean to you, right honey?” Aminata looked concerned. “I know all of them, especially Asmodeus, and I know how rotten they can act.”

“It’s,” I sighed and pushed a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “It’s been hard. I’m making a little progress but when they look at me, I feel like all they see is some human they can push around.” 

“How dare they!” Aminata dramatically gasped. “You have to prove them wrong, totally!” 

“I want to, but I see that there is only one way to do that,” I shyly admitted. I thought back to what that stranger that Lucifer had locked up told me. 

_ Making a pact with all of the brothers.. I want to help that person, of course, but is it selfish that I also want to make a pact with them so that I can prove a point?  _

“Oh my gosh,” Aminata leaned forward. “I totally know what you have in mind- you want to make a pact with all of them!” My honey eyes widened. 

“Well, yeah, exactly, but how did you know?” 

“Well, duh, it’s the only way you can do it. You stick it to the man!” She jumped up with gusto. “While at the same time, you earn their respect. Oooh,” she plopped back down in her seat. “So you already have Mammon and Levi, who’s next on your list?” Aminata seemed to be in full support of my plan. 

“You won’t tell them anything, especially Asmodeus, right..?” I asked with a hushed tone. I didn’t know if I could trust Aminata, as much as I was starting to like her. She pretended to zip her mouth shut and bobbed her head up and down. I caved and decided to tell her.

“Beel, I have the feeling I will have the best luck with him next. We are already starting to hang out together more,” I explained. I wasn’t going to tell her I was choosing him just because some suspicious stranger thought it was a good idea. Aminata pretended to unzip her lips and she nodded.

“Oh, good idea, Claudia,” she mused as she leaned back in her chair. “The only problem I see is that he only cares about food, food, food. And the people he cares about are- oops,” she quickly covered her mouth with both hands. 

“What, what?” I straightened to attention. 

“Nothing!” She sang with a smile and jumped up. “Well, I think that was a rather peachy interview, don’t you think?” I stood up as I grabbed my briefcase. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to hold onto the papers you gave me if that’s alright with you.”

“Of course,” I smiled as she started to walk me out of her office. 

“I have a few more interviews left,” she explained. “But after I’m done with all of them, I’ll make a decision. If you get the job, you’ll receive a lovely call from yours truly!” Aminata pointed to herself with a flare. If you didn’t then uh,” she paused. “I still want to totally hang out with you, okay honey?” She clung to my arm. We were now standing in her office doorway. I laughed in return. Aminata’s bubbliness felt infectious. 

“Of course, I will completely understand,” I respectfully nodded at the witch. “I’d like to see you again as well.” 

“Yay!” She let go of me and clapped her hands. “Well, get back home safe, okay? And tell the boys I said hi!” She flashed me a peace sign with a wink as I left. 

“Of course,” I gave her a small wave before disappearing from view. 

I ended up leaving Devhora with a little bounce in my step. I was never confident in any interview I came out, but that doesn't mean I did a poor job. The “what ifs” always held me back from being optimistic. Even if I wasn’t optimistic, meeting someone like Aminata was like a breath of fresh air. 

_ Could we be friends?  _ I asked myself as I passed Nickels and walked out to Mammon’s car. 

The drive back was peaceful and besides a few pestering questions from Asmodeus and Mammon about how my interview went once I returned to The House of Lamentation, my day was peaceful- at least as peaceful as it could be in the Devildom. 

A few days later, I was sitting in my room playing Animal Crossing when I felt my phone next to me start to vibrate. I set down my Switch with a yawn and glanced over at my D.D.D. My eyes widened in shock at the caller ID and I snatched it up as fast as I could and answered it. 

“Hello, Aminata?” I held my breath as I waited for the witch’s response.

“Claudia…” She seemed nervous and sounded a little sad. I could feel my heart drop in my chest. “I’m so sorry,” she whimpered,” but you won’t be able to-” Her tone suddenly changed. “Be able to eat a gallon of ice cream and cry while watching Titanic because you didn’t get a job- because you totally got a job! My job to be precise!” 

“Really?” I lightly gasped, still not processing the wave of success that washed over me. “No way,” I could feel a smile tug at my lips. 

“Yes way!” Aminata replied back with a little sass. “You were legit the most fun out of all of the snooze balls I had to sit through. But I didn’t just hire you because we can totally have a bunch of fun at work: you’re cute, speak well, and the fact that you are a human will totally help me! You also have a solid understanding of makeup but don’t let all of that go to your head,” she teased and I smiled. 

“Why, I would never,” I playfully responded back. “Aminata, when will I start?”

“Next week. You’ll get your schedule in a few days. It’s a weekly one, but most of the time you’ll work the same days and hours unless something comes up. I have some uniforms that I need you to try on, so when you can come over, that would be awesome.” 

“Of course, I should be able to come over soon,” I nodded. 

“I’ll send you all of the boring details later honey, such as wage and benefit details later. Do you have a bank account open down here?” I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. 

“I wasn’t going to set one up until I actually got a job. I think I have to go through Lucifer to get one set up.” 

“Gotcha, gotcha. No worries for now, just get one before the end of the month, okay?” Aminata reassured me. “Now, we can talk later. You have something very important to do!”

“I do?” I quietly asked, unsure what she meant. 

“Well, duh! You have to go share the good news! Go tell the boys about your victory!” I giggled at Aminata as I dragged myself off of my bed. 

“Man, how could I forget something as important as that? You’re right, I should celebrate a little. Aminata, thank you so much for this opportunity, I won’t disappoint you.” I promised my new boss. 

“Gah,” she gushed. “You’re making me blush, cutie! Now get going! Byeee,” and with that, she hung up before I could even say goodbye back. I tossed my phone on my bed and composed myself. 

_ I’m officially here to stay now. No more plans on escaping, I’m staying, even if the others don’t like it. I’m going to save that person and prove to everyone just how strong I can be!  _

I jogged out of my room, eager to see Mammon’s expression when I told him that I actually got the job. He owned me 20 bucks, that cocky bastard. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! I hope the introduction of the original characters of my story didn't feel forced and I hope you end up enjoying them. Speaking of enjoying, if you enjoyed this chapter, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	13. Chapter 13: Do Demons Find Themselves in Complicated Situations?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia becomes more serious about staying in the Devildom but even with her newfound dedication, she feels more uncertain and scared than ever.

“So,” I slowly drew out as I adjusted myself in my chair. “Regarding my credits that I earn at RAD, will it transfer over in the human world and act as my senior year of high school? I don’t want to be gone the whole year and have my future halted because I need to complete my required credits.” Lord Diavolo nodded as he carefully listened. The two of us had been talking for the last few minutes in his office at RAD after I requested a meeting. I had a lot of questions that had been bothering me for a while. 

“Yes, your credits will transfer over,” Diavolo nodded. “Your record won’t show that you appeared at RAD, for few humans even know about the Devildom, but instead at your previous school.”

“Isn’t that forgery?” I felt a little nervous. It seemed like so many things could go wrong. I wanted to enjoy my year but not at the cost of jeopardizing my life. My heart already ached because I was away from my parents without any way of letting them know that I was alright and I didn’t want my guilt to grow worse because I was committing crimes. 

“Well, yes,” Diavolo laughed with a carefree expression. “You look worried but rest assured, as a RAD student, human authorities and colleges won’t question your legitimacy,” he reassured me. “Have you applied to any universities? You seem like a serious student.” 

“Yes, I have,” I eagerly nodded. “I’ve only applied to one university, but I will have automatic acceptance because of my class rank. I’m just waiting to see if I have been accepted or not.,” I nervously laughed. “I’m still nervous. I keep checking my email every day. I really want to get accepted into my major right away.”

“I’m sure you have nothing to fear,” Diavolo smiled with confidence. “What major are you pursuing?” 

“Psychology,” I answered with a buzz. “I’ve always been fascinated by human behavior, and since I’m planning on going to law school and becoming a lawyer, I think it’s one of the best degrees that I can pursue.” Diavolo looked very intrigued but before he could speak, there was a sharp knock on Diavolo’s office door. 

“Come in,” Diavolo called out and the door slowly opened. I turned around to see who was entering and found myself meeting Lucifer’s intense gaze. It always sent a shiver down my spine. 

_ Just stay calm, I’m sure nothing is wrong. He’s here because he’s close to Diavolo. He hasn’t found out my plans about making pacts _ , I reasoned. 

Ever since the morning Lucifer had threatened me, I felt uneasy around him. I wanted to have nothing against him, but he was so hard to read and I felt like I was walking on eggshells every time he was around. 

“Claudia,” Lucifer looked caught off guard, “I didn’t expect to see you here.” I pulled my gaze from his cold (yet beautiful) eyes to his outfit. Instead of wearing the RAD uniform, Lucifer had on a red blazer, a patterned black shirt, and tight but not ill-fitting pants. I felt my face burn. 

_ Wow, he looks good. Really good.  _

“Lucifer, you are already here!” Diavolo's smile became happier and he checked the time on his D.D.D. “I didn’t even realize that it was already time.” He glanced up at me. “Claudia, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that I already had an appointment with Lucifer.” He looked sad like he was a puppy that someone kicked. 

“Oh no, no,” I got up from my seat with a smile. “I don’t mind at all! I completely understand. Anyway, you answered a lot of my questions so I feel better…” Diavolo started to get up as well. 

“Good, good, I’m glad!” Diavolo gave me a hearty laugh as he patted my back. I almost fell over at the impact. Damn, he was strong. 

“Diavolo,” Lucifer adjusted the cuffs of his jacket. “Shall we?” Maybe I was insane, but I felt like Lucifer was still staring at me. I didn’t like how weak his gaze made me feel. Diavolo gave me a cheerful wave before walking out of the office door with Lucifer. They walked together, their shoulders almost touching. I watched silently before picking up my briefcase. I felt my D.D.D. buzz from within. When I checked it, I noticed that I got a text from Diavolo. 

Diavolo:  _ This is my account. I see that I haven’t sent you a text yet.  _

Diavolo:  _ Feel free to send me a message any time.  _

Diavolo:  _ Sorry that I had to leave, I couldn’t abandon Lucifer and our lunch plans.  _

Me:  _ Don’t worry about it, like I said, I completely understand. Lucifer looks really nice… _

Diavolo:  _ I’ll let him know!  _

Me:  _ nonono, that’s okay! _

Diavolo:  _ Too late. _

Diavolo:  _ *Angry emoji*  _

Diavolo:  _ Oh sorry.  _

Diavolo:  _ I haven’t gotten used to this yet. You see, Lucifer is the only demon who sends me messages… _

Diavolo:  _ *Happy emoji*  _

Diavolo:  _ That’s the one I wanted to send you! Lucifer looks embarrassed so I better go.  _

Me:  _ It’s okay, you can text me more often, Diavolo! Have a good lunch :)  _

I looked up from my phone and hurried out of Lord Diavolo’s office, making sure to turn the lights off and close the door behind me. I sighed as I leaned up against the hallway and pressed my hand against my heart. 

_ How embarrassing….  _ I groaned.  _ Wait, but don’t they seem closer than friends? I don’t like to assume things and I did ask Mammon about it once but, I mean, Mammon did say that he wouldn’t be surprised if Lucifer and Lord Diavolo were… Doing it. Could they- are they?  _ I felt my heart race and I shook my head. I had other things to worry about. I was meeting Mammon and Beel out in the school courtyard for lunch. 

“Mmm, this is amazing!” I could hear Mammon’s pleased voice from across the field. When I approached the duo, they were both sitting on the ground and Mammon was already eating. “Ahh,” he took a bit of the sandwich in his hand greedily and swallowed it quickly. “Nothin’ beats a fried scorpion sandwich with vinegar and tartar sauce for lunch! In a bento box with all the fixings, of course!” 

“Well,” I smirked a little as I sat down and Mammon finally noticed me. “That’s because I made it. Of course, I went all out, especially since I was making it for someone else. Where’s mine?” 

“Hey h- Claudia,” Mammon said with a muffled and full mouth. He handed me my lunch. “You’re late. I had to protect yours with my life cause Beel’s a machine today. Be grateful.” 

“I am, I am,” I hummed as I took the bento from him and glanced over at Beel who was intently glaring at Mammon’s lunch. I didn’t think that he had even noticed my arrival yet. 

“What?” Mammon blinked at my distracted stare and slightly turned to see Beel a few inches away, his gaze. “Gah, no!” He held his sandwich up and as far away as he could from his younger brother. I discreetly set my lunch down in my lap and laid my hands on it protectively. “St-top it,” Mammon stuttered in a panic. “This is MINE! Don’t look at my food like that. It’s like you’re devouring it with your eyes!” I let out a little giggle. 

“I don’t want it,” Beel mumbled as he backed off a little.

“...Huh?” Mammon was shocked. I was about to be too, did Beel ever turn down food? “Wait, what's that now?” Mammon asked, probably thinking that he misheard something. “Did you just say you don’t want it? You’re actually tellin’ me you don’t want this crazy good fried scorpion sandwich with vinegar and tartar sauce-?!” 

“Aw, I’m blushing,” I teased but I did actually feel rather good to receive such a compliment. 

“D-don’t overthink it, okay?” Mammon snapped at me, flustered, before turning his attention back to Beel. “Are ya outta your mind?! Are you sick to your stomach?! Is this the day when hell really does freeze over?!” Mammon’s blue eyes went all big. “Or wait-” he quickly jumped up and wildly glanced around. “Is this a dream?!”

“Nope.” Beel frowned and I carefully watched his expression. “None of the above.” 

“All right,” Mammon pushed his lips together in suspicion. “Then what’s going on here?!” He placed his hands on his hips with authority. 

“I don’t like ya cooking that’s all,” he almost rolled his eyes at Mammon. 

“Wow, way to be rude,” Mammon shuddered and got all tense again as he plopped down. “Actually though, I DIDN’T make this, Claudia actually did. She got into this fight with a witch who also wanted to make me food as an offering so she made me food instead!” Mammon beamed, all proud. I sighed and felt my eye twitch

“It wasn’t necessarily a fight, I just shared some words with her, that’s all,” I reasoned. “I don’t like confrontation!” I whined, puffing my cheeks up. “But I’m not going to let you accept things from strangers, it can be dangerous!” 

_ Well, I was actually getting a little jealous,  _ I thought,  _ but I would never let anyone know that.  _

“Claudia’s cooking,” Beel mumbled as he looked at me and I felt myself get jittery. “All right then,” he smiled. “I’ll take it.” 

“Uh, what?” Mammon scoffed. “No you won’t. What makes you think you can have this?” I looked down and started to open my lunch box. I was hungry and I wasn’t going to let their bickering stop me. “I don’t remember offerin’ it to you. Although,” I could just feel Mammon’s eyes start to glint. “If you want it that bad, I guess I could sell it to you as a special favor.” Mammon laughed and stared daggers into him. 

_ How dare he see the sandwich I made him as some kind of chip to make a profit? I made it with love, decorated the lunch box, and I almost added a little note-! Enough,  _ I stopped myself. 

“If you ain’t got cash on you,” Mammon went on, not paying me the slightest of attention. “I’ll take precious gems as payment instead. I’d probably settle for sapphires, rubies, Moldavite-” And Mammon wasn’t also paying the slightest attention to his sandwich, which Beel was eating out of his hand. 

“H-” Mammon gasped as he noticed Beel. “HEY! WOAH! I didn’t say you could eat that!” He screeched. “...D’ah,” He slumped his shoulders in defeat. “You wolfed the whole thing down in three seconds flat!”

“That’s what you get for not appreciating my cooking and treating it as a bargaining chip!” I declared as I crossed my arms. 

“Well, uh,” Mammon looked back and forth between Beel and I. “He should still pay me, so Beel, cough it up!” Mammon yelled. 

“Sorry,” Beel mumbled while licking his lips. “I don’t have any money or gemstones.” He turned towards me. “It was a good sandwich, you have to make more sometimes, Claudia.” 

“Well,” I smugly drew out. “I’ll only make more for demons who appreciate me and my cooking!” Mammon growled. 

“But it’s still not fair that he ate it,” Mammon whined and scooted closer to me. “Say somethin’!” I sighed. 

“Well, Beel, you shouldn’t have done that, no matter how satisfied it made me,” I explained like a stern parent.  _ I also wanted Mammon to eat it but I guess I had too high of expectations.  _

“You’re damn straight- HEY!” Mammon took in what I said. “What do ya mean satisfied?! And Beel, did you hear her? Just… just ignore that last part,” Mammon scowled with his statement. 

“It really could’ve used some pickles,” Beel stated thoughtfully. “It was good but it felt like the sandwich was missing something without them.” 

“I’ll add them next time,” I nodded. “I prefer it the way it is,” I gestured at my own sandwich before biting into it. “But when I make one for you, I’ll add some.” 

“Ugh, you guys are forgetting the real problems, idiots!” Mammon slammed his fists into the soft grass, annoyed. 

“Hey there, you three,” we heard a soft voice speak up and I looked up behind me to see Simeon standing over us. He gave me a kind smile. “It’s so nice to see how well you all get along.”

“Wha?” Mammon scratched his head as he squinted up at Simeon. “Are ya blind, Simeon?! Can’t you see that we’re ready to kill each other here?!” I laughed a little.

“D-Don’t you dare speak to Simeon that way, demon!” We heard a pitchy voice protest and Luke appeared from behind Simeon. “Show some respect!” 

“Eh?” Mammon glanced over at the angry, but very cute, Luke. “Ah,” he shrugged off Luke’s comment. “Fido, it’s you. Didn’t even realize you were there.” 

“I didn’t either,” I weakly admitted. “Hey, Luke!” I smiled. 

“Wha- Don’t call me Fido!” Luke yelped as he jumped a little. “My NAME is Luke. See, Claudia knows it and can say it!” He pointed at me. “Can’t you get that through your head?!” He had directed his attention back to Mammon. He went on and Mammon waved him off with a yawn.

“Mmhm, whatever,” he shrugged. “Do you ever stop yippin’ and yappin’?” Mammon laid down on the grass and closed his eyes as if he was about to take a nap. 

“Now you listen to me!” Luke’s face was getting all red. “I may not look important to you, but I’ll have you know that I report directly to Michael-”

“Right,” Mammon cut Luke off. “Uh-huh, it’s always ‘Michael this, Michael that’ with you.”

“Listen to me when I’m talking to you, demon, and quit pretending that you are asleep!” Mammon sat up with an annoyed expression and Simeon bent forward as if he was talking to a toddler. 

“Mammon,” Simeon sweetly requested the Avatar of Greed’s attention. “I know how cute Luke is when he’s frustrated, but I think you’ve harassed him enough. I’d appreciate it if you’d stop.”

_ They all really do act like children. Aren’t I supposed to be scared?  _ I mused to myself as I munched on my sandwich, taking in the scene. 

“It’s so hard not to though,” Mammon grinned. “He’s just so funny,” I punched his arm a little. 

“No it’s not, stop being an ass,” I warned him. 

“Oh come on,” He whined and turned towards his younger brother. “It totally is, isn’t that right Beel?” 

“I bet he tastes good,” Beel grinned as he rubbed his stomach. 

“I am NOT funny!” Luke tensed up. “And I don’t taste good, either!” 

“So,” Mammon changed the direction of the conversation. “What is it you angels want? I know you must want somethin’. Otherwise, you wouldn’t walk up and strike up a conversation with us outta nowhere.” 

“Hey, don’t be so unwelcoming,” I hissed a little and smiled at the angels. “They could just be saying hi, they are my friends after all.” 

“That’s true,” Simeon smiled back. “But I did come over for a reason, I almost forgot. We’re actually planning to go on a camping trip soon, you see,” he went on. “We thought it would be a good way to have fun and get to know each other better. I’m here to invite you. We’d love it if you’d all join us.” 

“Really?” I got a little excited about being invited to something. “I’m not really a camping person, but I’d love to go.” 

“Ugh, it’s such a lame idea. You always do this,” He groaned. “Listen,” he snapped at Simeon. “For starters, camping is a total drag. Isn’t that right, Beel?” He turned to his brother again for support. 

“Hmm,” Beel was seriously thinking about the invitation. “Camping… That would mean cooking out- ooh, and roasting marshmallows.” 

“That’s right,” I nodded. “Roasting marshmallows is fun.” 

“I’m in,” Beel smiled with a glint in his eyes. Mammon sighed and threw his hands up. 

“Ya see, this is your problem, Beel. You’ve gotta quit lettin’ your stomach make decisions for you. This is such a drag,” Mammon groaned. 

“Well,” Simeon lightly laughed. “Just keep in mind that we’re going camping and you’re invited.” 

“Okay,” I nodded. “Just let me know when. I need to know ahead of time so I can let my boss know and get off from work.” 

“You have a job now, Claudia?” Simeon looked interested but couldn’t say more because his phone started to buzz. “Uh-oh, it seems I have a phone call. If you’ll excuse me,” he started to feel around for his phone. “I should really take this.” He found his D.D.D. and started to walk over with a graceful wave. “You three take care now.” I waved back as I watched him leave to go find a quiet place. Luke had stayed behind and looked like he had something to say. I was used to this, after all, the last time he had looked like that…

_ The last time he had that expression was when he told me to never trust a demon… Then I found out what Lucifer was hiding in the attic.  _

“Hey, Fido,” Mammon’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “Shouldn’t you be headin off with your friend there?” 

“Hey,” Luke frowned. “Don’t you tell me what to do. As it happens,” he adjusted his hat with a little sass. “I AM leaving, yes, but not because you told me to.” Luke swiftly turned around and was about to leave before he turned around again with a flustered expression. “Also, MY NAME IS NOT FIDO, OKAY?!” with that, he ran over after Simeon. The demon brothers and I finished our lunch without any more distractions but I found myself… disturbed. I felt distracted the rest of the day and I struggled to hide it because eventually, someone noticed that something was up.

“Honey, what’s wrong? You look really troubled,” Aminata gave me a concerned look as she slumped her shoulders a little. I was at Devhora with Aminata and although I had a few days until I officially started my job, I was with her in the female worker dressing room trying on uniforms. She set down the two she was holding up for me and walked over.

“Nothing, nothing, I’m fine!” I smiled as I lied. I was a horrible liar. 

“Come on, we’re friends now girl,” Aminata encouraged me as she led me over to a pair of chairs and sat me down. She plopped down next to me and poked me. “What’s up girly?” I hesitated. As far as I knew, Aminata was hiding the fact that I wanted to make a pact with all of the brothers but would she keep her promise if I told her more? 

I thought of the stranger’s mysterious presentation and his dark hair and eyes. Someone’s livelihood was on the line, and I decided that if I wanted to save the person that Lucifer had locked up, I would need to seek advice sometimes. 

“I,” I started before I sighed. “Aminata, if I tell you what’s wrong, will you not say a word? It’s about the brothers.” 

“Of course!” She smiled and bobbed her head up and down. “Wait!” She looked ready to pounce like a tiger. “Did they hurt you? Do I have to go teach those boys a lesson?” 

“No, no, no!” I winced. “I mean, you might, but please don’t!” 

“Hmm,” she studied me suspiciously before she backed off with a carefree smile and held her hands up in defeat. “Okay girly, I won’t do a thing and that’s a witch’s promise.” I took a deep breath before I started to explain everything- about how I went up to the attic after tricking Lucifer and about how I met a stranger who seemed to know more than he was letting on and that to help him, I would need to form a pact with all of the brothers. Aminata listened to me obediently and stayed silent while I rambled on, only letting out a few gasps every now and then.

“I,” I paused for a moment in an attempt to calm my high and wobbling voice. “I don’t know… I feel so conflicted and scared. It’s one thing to be brought to a scary new environment and be constantly put down but to scheme like this? To think about what Lucifer might do to me if he finds out…” I shuddered. “And how am I supposed to even grow close to Beel? I kind of just stumbled into my pacts with Mammon and Levi,” I bitterly laughed. “I feel hopeless.” 

“Aw, honey no!” Aminata stood up and tightly hugged me. I slowly hugged her back and choked back my sobs. She gently shushed me as she patted my back. We stayed like this for several minutes until I had finally regained my composure. 

“Okay, whew, this is a lot, a lot to take in,” Aminata admitted as she pulled away from my embrace. “Can I tell ya what I think, girly?” I nodded. “Lucifer may be a demon, but I don’t think he would lock anyone away if he felt desperate.” Aminata flipped her pink hair back in annoyance. “That doesn’t mean what he did was right, but Lucifer isn’t evil,” she giggled, “Even if he is a demon. Got that girly? Under all that pride there’s gotta be a softie.” She sighed as she stood up and started to shift through the uniforms she had laid out. “Now, this stranger seems… interesting. I won’t say much because, oh boy, those brothers have more drama than a bunch of high school girls, but they sound sketchy. You got a good heart, so I know you want to help them honey, and I think you should, but you need, need, NEED to be careful. Yeah?” 

“Yeah,” I whispered. 

“Now for Beel, he only cares about three things and you know one of them is food,” Aminata went on as she held up a dress and studied it. “The other two? You need to learn those on your own, and when you do, you’ll be close enough to him to make a pact with him. There’s more to him than meets the eye.” She waved me over and held the dress up against me when I approached her. “Now, we both have no idea why this sketchy sketch that is locked up in the attic wants you to go after Beel first, but it makes me think that they know each other.”

“That’s what I’ve been thinking, but wouldn’t the other brothers know about what the attic really holds then?” I brought up. 

“Exactly, and it sounds like they don’t know what Lucifer’s up to.” Aminata pointed out and handed me the dress. “Okay, we can throw theories back and forth all night, but I think this dress should fit you the best! I’ll step out and give you a moment,” Aminata winked before slipping out of the room. I forced myself to not burden myself with thoughts as I changed out of my clothes and into the modest pink Devhora uniform dress. 

“I’m done!” I called out as I folded my clothes and set them down on the chair I had been sitting in. Aminata poked her head in to make sure I was serious before skipping in. She squealed and hopped a little. 

“You look so cute!” She giggled. “Oh my gosssh, my customers will adore you,” she exclaimed and I blushed a little with a laugh. 

“I just hope they don’t get any ideas about eating me,” I joked and Aminata seriously put her hands on her hips. 

“Ugh demons, I would kill someone if they dared getting any ideas like that!” Aminata huffed. 

_ That means Asmodeus, Mammon, and Beel would be screwed, _ I winched a little at my own thoughts.  _ Asmodeus tried to seduce me on my first day here, Beel has talked about eating me, and Mammon has threatened me.  _ I couldn’t help but sigh the millionth time that day.  _ Making a pact with all of the brothers is going to be hard, really hard.  _

After finding the perfect uniform for me, Aminata and I parted ways and I made my way back to the House of Lamentation. The evening thankfully continued on without any hitches, well, that was until a text from Mammon. 

Mammon:  _ I’m feeling a little hungry.  _

Mammon:  _ Come meet me in the kitchen. Now. _

Me:  _ Didn’t we have dinner a few hours ago, Mammon? I don’t know if I’m still hungry.  _

Mammon:  _ Oh come on, you’ve got to be kidding me. Please? _

Mammon:  _ I need someone to come with me.  _

Me:  _ Oh yeah? I even received a please, you must be desperate…  _

Mammon:  _ Just to be clear, it’s not like I’m afraid Lucifer might catch me if I go alone. That’s not what this is about.  _

Me:  _ Mhm.  _

Mammon:  _ Seriously, that’s not what this is about! For real, it isn’t! _

Me:  _ I never said it was. I’ll meet you down there :) _

I rolled my eyes with a slight smile as I looked up from my phone. I tossed it on my bed and got up as I stretched. I decided that maybe a snack would be nice. I needed a little distraction from my homework. I worked my way to the kitchen, and when I arrived, Mammon was already there, digging around. 

“Took ya long enough,” he grunted once he noticed me. “Listen, when I call you,” he lectured. “You need to come lickity-split. I’m hungry, and I’m in a bad mood to boot. Ya shoulda known that.” I crossed my arms with a raised eyebrow. 

_ I can’t read minds unlike a certain demon I know… If I work a shift with Nickels in the future, I’m totally going to get him to read Mammon’s mind as revenge… Okay, maybe that’s a little much,  _ I admitted to myself. 

“Well, whatever,” Mammon shrugged off his hangry outbreak. “Let’s have a look inside the fridge and see what we can find.” He swung open the fridge doors dramatically. I walked over and peeked over Mammon’s shoulder, standing on my tippy toes. “...Ugh, there’s nothin’ good in here. Wait-” He smirked and reached further back to grab something. “Now what do we have here? Looks like a custard.” He whistled and then turned around and held it out. “Here, eat this,” he commanded. “I need an accomplice. I don’t wanna be the only one in trouble.”

“Woah, woah, woah,” I backed up with my hands up in defense. “No way in hell.” Glancing at the cup of custard, I noticed a note on it with messy handwriting that said: “Property of Beelzebub. You eat it, you die.” 

“I mean, yeah” Mammon shrugged. “You’ve gotta be seriously brave to eat this custard here-”

“Or stupid,” I snorted. 

“Well, if you can do it, I’ll admit that you’ve got guts.” Mammon started to walk up to me and I kept taking steps back. “So, you’re gonna do it, right? What am I sayin’? Do it. That’s an order.” I felt my back hit a wall and my eyes widened in panic. 

“I know you’re in a bad mood, but you don’t have to act like this. Was it the camping thing earlier? Look,” I tried to reason. “Eating that would be suicide so I’m not going to do it.”

“What? Hey, don’t act like you know me,” he scowled. “You’re a real drag, you know that? A total killjoy.” Mammon was only a few feet from me. “Whatever, just shut up and eat it!” He yelled and I was about to bounce. “You’ll be fine!” Before I could leave, Mammon pinned me up against the wall with his free hand. “If you won’t do it voluntarily,” Mammon hissed, his face only a few inches from mine now. “Then I’ll have to MAKE you eat it! Go on,” I struggled against him as he attempted to force my mouth open and squeeze the custard down my throat. “Down the hatch!” He grunted and was able to shove half of it in my mouth. I pushed him away and coughed a little. I could feel drips of the sweet custard leaking from my mouth. “There we go. You did it.” Mammon started to act like a child as he pointed at me and tattled. “You totally ate Beel’s custard! I saw ya!” 

“What the fuck is wrong with you!” I snapped back with a red face. “Bad mood or not, you took your little act a little too far!” 

“But now I have an accomplice,” Mammon looked proud and glanced away from me. “If you ate his stuff too, that means we’re in this boat together!” I groaned as I placed my hands over my face. “So, my turn.” I heard Mammon mumble as he turned back to the fridge. “Let’s see if I can find anything else good in here. I’ve got a feeling there’s probably something nice hiding back here”- I removed my hands from my face and felt my body freeze up as I saw the last person I wanted to see right now- “in this corner-” Mammon noticed the tense atmosphere in the room and slowly turned around to see Beel standing in the doorway of the kitchen. “D’AH..! Beel!” Mammon almost jumped out of his skin. “Wh-What’s the big idea sneakin’ up on me like that?” He nervously laughed and I could see him physically get scared. “How long have you been there…?” Beel said nothing at first as his purple eyes were drawn to the empty custard cup laying on the ground. Mammon had dropped it during our struggle. 

“Did you eat my custard?” Beel’s voice was dark and that was the moment I knew that I was screwed. 

_ Well, fuck.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	14. Chapter 14: Do Demons Have Roommates?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh, things don't go so well when Beel walks in on Mammon and Claudia with his custard. Claudia feels that any connection that she could make with Beel would be a doomed effort, especially after they are forced to become roommates! Claudia also makes a discovery about the stranger in the attic. Should she trust him?

_ “Did you actually eat my CUSTARD?!” Beel’s face was full of menace and rage as he started to yell. “Answer me, Mammon!” I gulped. I knew that this would not end out alright. I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for Mammon to betray me and throw me under the bus.  _

_ “N-Now wait a second, Beel!” I heard Mammon's panicked voice and a slight crash. He must have backed up into something. “Lemme explain! There’s a good reason for-”  _

_ “You did, didn’t you…?” Beel growled deepily, not even giving the chance to allow Mammon to speak. I opened my eyes, ready to step in but I feared that I was too late. Beel had transformed into what I assumed was his demon form and roared with vigor. “You… ate… my… CUSTARD!”  _

“...And then what happened?” Lucifer sighed as he buried his face in his hands. I looked up and blinked. Replaying the events that had led up to my current situation did nothing but distract me. Lucifer bit back a groan and I nervously fiddled. Things… things hadn’t ended well with the “custard incident,” however, a part of me was just thankful that I was alive. 

“COOOME OOON!” Mammon yelled a little too loudly for a late and tiring night. “How many times are ya gonna make me say it?”Mammon’s gestures became tenser. “I was hungry, so I went to the kitchen lookin’ for something to eat…” Mammon started to explain. “And while I was diggin’ through the fridge, Beel suddenly came up and, and,” Mammon struggled for words. “Attacked me!” I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. 

_ He’s not wrong, but the longer Mammon hides important details, then the longer we will all be stuck here.  _

“You ate my custard,” Beel snapped back at his older brother. 

“No, I DIDN’T eat your custard, Beel,” Mammon clarified. I told ya, I was just holdin’ it in my hand, that’s all.”

“Liar,” Beel frowned. “You were eating it. I could tell,” Beel declared. “The lid was off and it was on the ground.” I felt my face heat up. Could Beel not see the custard on my face? 

“Wha?” Mammon attempted to innocently look around. “Well, don’t look at me,” he shrugged. “It was probably open to begin with.” I started to get antsy. Although I didn’t want to eat Beel’s custard, guilt was eating me up. If I didn’t confess, I would feel horrible. 

“I made sure to write my name on it, and you still ate it,” Beel stated crossly. 

“Eh? You wrote your name?” Mammon was still playing dumb.

“Oh yes,” he hissed back. “It said ‘Property of Beelzebub. You eat it,  **you die** .” 

“Um, excuse me,” I whimpered out. 

“Oh… really?” Mammon looked a little nervous. I could see his lip twitching. “Huh? I never noticed…” 

“That was my custard,” Beel balled his fists up.

“Uh, guys…!” I tried it again. 

“You never give up, do ya?” Mammon asked his brother with a snort. “But whatever it doesn’t have nothin’ to do with me anyway-” I let out a huff of air in frustration before yelling:

“Cause Claudia is the one- I am the one who ate it! I ate your custard!” Mammon and I yelled at the same time. I paused as my eyes widened at me. 

“Uh,” he gulped. 

“You snake!” I gasped as my face became redder. “B-but exactly! I did and I am so, so, so sorry!” I hung my head. 

“Claudia is honest and willing to ADMIT to the committed crime,” Beel crossed his arms as he glared at Mammon. “Unlike you, Mammon.” 

“So Claudia ate your custard, yet I’m still the bad guy?!” Mammon gasped in frustration. 

“So, let me get this straight,” our attention was snapped back to Lucifer who had finally regained his wits. “Mammon was hungry, so he went rummaging for food in the kitchen late at night, and he dragged Claudia along with him.” I nodded along with Lucifer’s words. “That’s when he found Beel’s custard. Then, he talked Claudia into eating the custard-” 

“More like forced-” I mumbled. 

“And when Beel saw what had happened, he was so angry that he lost control of himself and went on a rampage. The kitchen ended up getting destroyed, along with Claudia’s room,” Lucifer was struggling to remain cool and collected. “Which was on the opposite side of the wall from it. All because of your little prank,” Lucifer glared daggers into his scummy brother. Lucifer finished and I shuddered in return. Beel really had completely lost it and destroyed a lot. The kitchen was unrecognizable. 

_ My rotten luck, of course,  _ I thought as I resisted the urge to sigh.  _ At least it was just the wall…  _

“Well,” Mammon spoke up after a moment of silence. “I guess that pretty much sums it up, yeah?” He looked between Beel and me for confirmation. Beel groaned about his poor custard and I refused to meet his eyes. 

“Now listen, and listen well,” Lucifer snapped as he leaned forward in his seat. “First of all, you three-” 

“Ugh!” Mammon whined as he almost fell to his knees. “I can tell this is gonna take forever.” 

“It’s not fair,” Beel argued back. “I’m the victim here.” 

“Did you two just say something?” Lucifer narrowed his eyes. The two brothers immediately shut their traps as Lucifer started to lecture us. “To begin with, your recklessness has impacted not just Diavolo, but also…” 

_ Three hours… _ I glanced over at the gothic clock in Lucifer’s room and swallowed my yawn.  _ He’s been lecturing for three hours… I’m so tired. Good thing I didn’t have much homework tonight but I really wanted to play Animal Crossing.  _ I wiggled in my seat impatiently. 

“So, now that we’ve got that straight, I expect each of you to learn something from all of this.” I snapped to attention and wildly looked around. 

_ Wait, is he done? Can I leave? Am I good?  _

“W...Wow, that took forever,” Mammon whispered as he pulled himself up from the seat he had been dozing off in for the past three hours. 

“I’m hungry…” Beel patted his growling stomach. 

“Can we go?” I carefully got up. I started to envision the reunion of me and my bed. It would be glorious- but wait… 

_ Oh for fucks sake-  _

“Of course,” Lucifer nodded. “But Claudia, it seems you won’t be able to use your room for some time. You know,” I felt my shoulders slump. “Since it lacks a wall now.”

“That’s right,” I sighed and got a little flustered. “What do I do now?” I looked to Lucifer for a solution. 

“For the time being, I want you to stay in Beel’s room.” 

_ Huh? _

I blinked for a moment as I processed Lucifer’s sentence. Mammon spoke before I even fully heard what Lucifer said.

“WHA?! Now just a second.” Mammon yelled as he stood in front of me protectively. “Why’re ya putin’ Claudia in his room?” Mammon glared at Beel. “I mean, there’s enough space in my room, isn’t there?!” I could feel myself blush at Mammon’s words. 

_ It’s already too much thinking about sleeping in the same room as a guy, but Mammon? Didn’t Levi say that he sleeps nude-  _ I had to stop myself from thinking anything crude.  _ No, no, no, stop mind. Bad Claudia, bad!  _ I had to stop myself from patting the blush from my cheeks. 

“This is a trivial matter, Mammon,” Lucifer replied coldly. “Don’t get jealous over it. It shows immaturity.” Mammon almost jumped out of his skin as he blushed ten shades darker than my flushed cheeks. 

“Wha, jealous?!” Mammon crossed his arms and refused to meet the eyes of anyone. “Wh-Wh-Who’re you callin’ jealous?! As if I’d be jealous...pff!” Mammon wheezed a little. “Anyway,” Mammon got closer to me. “Claudia has a pact with me!” I couldn’t help but smile. 

_ That’s- he’s actually pretty sweet.  _

“Your pact is irrelevant,” I noticed Lucifer frown as he snapped back at Mammon. “Also, if I’m not mistaken, there’s an extra bed in Beel’s room.” 

“Two beds?” I mumbled and looked over to watch Beel’s expression. He had said nothing so far and I’m sure he was as uncomfortable as I was about the situation. I crossed my arms in an attempt to comfort myself. 

_ I’m sure I made him so mad… If he hates me then how can I make a pact with him, let alone be his friend? _

Mammon growled but held his tongue. Even he knew that he should not argue against Lucifer’s logic. 

“Do you understand, Beel?” Lucifer asked as he turned his gaze to the Avatar of Gluttony. “This isn’t a request.” 

“..Yeah,” Beel finally spoke up, his face unreadable. “I understand.” 

“Ugh, this sucks…” I heard Mammon mumble as he rubbed his forehead. I gently reached out and touched his arm. Mammon turned towards my touch. 

“Hey, it's okay,” I yawned a little with a smile. “Nothing is going to happen. I’ll be fine,” I reasoned kindly. I slowly let go of Mammon’s arm as I turned to face Beel. “I feel bad for intruding on your privacy and for this whole situation,” I apologize timidly. “I’m sorry and thank you.” I glanced at Lucifer for his approval before slightly backing away. “Um, I’m going to go gather my things and I’ll meet you there,” I felt myself bump up against something. “Sorry, sorry-!” I hissed and then increased my pace out of the large and elegant bedroom. “Byeee,” I awkwardly smiled as I closed the door behind me. I winched at how loud the sound was, I had accidentally slammed the door shut. I cursed myself as I jogged down the hall. 

_ It’s been such a long day,  _ I moaned.  _ I just want to go to bed and put this extremely embarrassing and tiring day behind me.  _

When I found myself at Beel’s door with a backpack and hesitation, I took a deep breath before knocking on the door. Beel slightly opened the door a few seconds later and my light eyes met his deep purple ones. His eyes reminded me of someone else's but their identity eluded me. 

“Hey,” he grunted a little before opening the door. I slightly bowed my head before stepping in and taking in the room. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but Beel’s room surprised me and it was clear to me that the room was meant for two. Like Yin and Yang, the room was split into two halves that complemented each other. Almost identical in every way except colors and a few details, it was as if the room was meant for… twins. 

“So, this is my room,” Beel stated the obvious softly. 

“It’s very beautiful. It’s not quite what I expected but I really like it.” I smiled up at Beel before moving to the right which had a purple scheme with the golden night sky painted on it. I could tell that the left side of the room was meant for Beel: it had a red aesthetic with the rising sun painted on the walls. 

“No,” Beel stopped me as he slightly reached out but stopped before grabbing my arm.

“Is something wrong?” I asked with concern as I turned around. 

“Use my bed. It’s the one on the left,” he glanced towards the left and I felt my face scrunch up a little in confusion. “Don’t use the bed on the right. I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“I hope this isn’t too personal,” I replied slowly. “But why? You don’t have to tell me if the question makes you uncomfortable!” Beel debated for a moment before replying. 

“The bed on the right is my twin brother’s,” he admitted with a grief-stricken expression. 

_ The youngest brother… The one I haven’t met yet.  _ I could feel my eyes widened. 

“His name is Belphegor,” Beel continued. “He’s in the human world right now as an exchange student.”

“I never knew the youngest brother was your twin…”  _ And, _ I thought,  _ that he happens to be an exchange student like me. How have I not heard of this before?  _

“Yeah, we don’t look alike though,” Beel softly smiled. “Actually, we’re total opposites.” I listened to Beel with interest as I set my backpack down by Beel’s bed, respecting his wishes. 

“And Belphegor in the human world right now, why? It seems weird to not have all of the brothers together,” I admitted. Beel sighed and sat down in the chair by his bed. I slowly sat down on his bed, facing him. 

“Belphine had a falling out with Lucifer, so he was chosen to be an exchange student. Belphine didn’t want to go,” Beel sadly shook his head. “But he was forced to. So don’t mention his name in front of Lucifer,” he warned me. I felt myself frown. 

_ Purple eyes… purple eyes… Lucifer doesn’t like him- wait! _

“Uhm,” I felt my voice crack but I cleared it. “Could you tell me more? I want to know more about Belphine.”

“Even though we’re twins,” Beel went on and I swore this was the most I had ever heard him speak. “All that means is that our father made us at the same time. It’s not like we’re alike in any way. Still,” I felt his voice rise a little. “Belphine and I always got along. We used to have a little sister, Lilith.” I felt myself flinch a little and I didn’t understand why. “So the three of us were always together: me, Belphine, and Lilith… but,” he frowned at the bittersweet memories. “That was a long time ago now.” 

_ They had a sister? Now that is something I definitely have never heard about. I bet Aminata would be willing to tell me more, but for now, I’m going to see what Beel can tell me.  _

“Can you also tell me about Lilith?” I sweetly asked. I understood that this was probably a sensitive topic for Beel and I didn’t want to probe him too much. 

“...No,” Beel mumbled. “I don’t feel like talking about her right now.” 

_ So I was right, it is a sensitive topic.  _ Aminata’s wise words from earlier that day popped up in my mind: 

_ “Now for Beel, he only cares about three things and you know one of them is food… The other two? You need to learn those on your own, and when you do, you’ll be close enough to him to make a pact with him. There’s more to him than meets the eye.”  _

“That’s okay!” I smiled and nodded. “I understand, don’t feel pressured to talk about anything that might make you uncomfortable.” I picked at my nails. 

“When Belphine returns to the Devildom, you’ll go back to the human world… Which means the two are never gonna meet each other.” Beel sounded disappointed. 

_ I don’t know about that Beel,  _ I tried to keep my face neutral.  _ But if I’m right like I was about Simeon being the author of TSL, then yikes… Aminata was right, these brothers do have a lot of drama.  _

“...What?” I blinked. I must have been lost in my thoughts again. It tended to happen often and I would just blankly stare off into space. “Why’re you staring at me like that? I told you, didn’t I? Belphine and I are twins, but we don’t look alike. 

“Sorry, sorry,” I laughed a little. “But I was just staring off, don’t mind me.” I paused as an idea came to mind. “Can I see a picture of Belphegor’s face? I know you said that the two of you don’t look alike but I bet you both have the same pretty eyes.” Beel seemed a little surprised by the compliment but didn’t comment on it. 

“It’s fine, but you know the portrait hall, right?” He asked. “I’m pretty sure there’s a picture of him there.” 

“Can we go there? Right now?” I jumped up a little too eagerly. “I know that it’s late, but could we go down there and find a portrait?” Beel agreed to my request and I felt myself get twitchy and anxious the closer we got to the stairwell that acted as the portrait hall. 

“See?” Beel pointed out while we were wandering down the staircase that’s walls were covered in paintings and photos. I stopped beside him and followed his gaze. “Right there, that’s Belphine.”

“Holy...shit-” I blurted before almost sharply biting down on my tongue to prevent myself from saying more. My theory, as wild as I thought it was, was correct. I struggled to contain my shock as I glued my eyes to the portrait before me. The portrait was of a sleepy man with shaggy dark hair that had white wisps and deep purple eyes. Those same dark eyes had lured me closer and those soft lips that had belonged to the same face had uttered pleas and lies to me. 

_ Belphegor, the Avatar of Sloth and the 7th brother of the House of Lamentation is the stranger that is locked up in Lucifer’s attic???? Well… fuck… Guess I am in deeper shit than I was before and I didn’t even know that that was possible.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	15. Chapter 15: Do Demons Form Alliances?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia shares her sorrows with Aminata before being summoned by Levi! He says it's an emergency, what could possibly be wrong?

“So apparently things just can’t be easy for me,” I sighed as I stabbed my slice of chocolate cake with the fork I was holding. Aminata gingerly nodded as she mindlessly stirred her steaming cup of green tea. 

“You got that right, girly. You are in a yucky yuck situation,” Aminata scrunched up her face a little before offering me a smile. “But hey, maybe it could be worse?” 

I hummed into my full mouth. The overwhelmingly delicious flavor of the cake was numbing my woes, but only a little bit. After discovering that Lucifer had his younger brother, Belphegor, locked in the attic without the others' knowledge, I forced myself to go to sleep in Beel’s room. As complicated as my situation was, I knew that I needed energy before confronting Belphegor. 

The next day, full of dread and anxiety, I went through the day of classes on edge. Though the hours passed without any errors, I knew that I had to speak to Belphegor that night and hear what he had to say for himself. I didn’t want to rush into the situation. I tended to plan and mull over a predicament before acting, so for advice, I contacted Aminata and we planned to meet up at the cafe by Devhora as soon as I was available. I had told her about everything that had happened as soon as I left Devhora yesterday because, oh boy, a lot sure had happened. 

“Any situation can grow worse,” I retorted back once my mouth wasn’t full. “I just don’t want to imagine how bad things could go, it only makes me more stressed.” I fiddled with my hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. I felt my thick eyebrows twitch as I narrowed my eyes in concentration. “... Now that I know the truth, should I still make a pact with all the brothers?” I thought out loud. “I think I should, even if I have been lied to.”

“Why’s that?” Aminata asked before gently picking up her cup and blowing on it. 

“Well,” I hesitated for a moment, “I don’t like liars, but no one deserves to be locked up without justification. I don’t know the whole story yet, but morally, I can’t sit by and do nothing.” 

“Seems like you have it all figured out then!” Aminata cheered a little. “But you are still troubled?” She tilted her head in confusion. I nodded with a bitter laugh. 

“Yup, but that’s just me. There’s never any calm and peace in my mind,” I smiled a little, sadness behind my voice. “You must be troubled as well though, Aminata.” 

“Mmm,” She shrugged. “I mean, tots, I am, but!” She grinned. “I like to keep myself bright and optimistic. You know, out of all the brothers, I really know Belphine the least.” She drummed her nails against the table we were sitting at. “He’s… a little hateful- I mean, that’s the vibe I’ve always gotten from him. I think it has something to do with something that happened in the past, but it was long before I ever came to the Devildom.” 

_ Could it have something to do with Lilith? _

“Do you know anything about Lilith?” I softly asked. “Apparently the brothers have a little sister, but I’ve never heard about her. Beel mentioned her for only a moment but wouldn’t say anymore.” 

“Lilith, Lilith,” the witch sang as she tried to recall all she could. “I know that she was around a long, long, long, time ago- and I’ve been here for what feels like ever,” Aminata giggled but then became more serious. “She was around when the brothers were angels but I don’t think she ever became a demon. I bet she must have died before the fall.” 

“How sad…” I frowned. “I could tell that she was no longer around, but I bet it is hard to carry the grief of death for so long. The way Beel talked, it seemed like her death was a fresh wound.” I crossed my arms and leaned back in my chair. “I can’t even imagine such pain.” 

“But ya know what ya can do?” Aminata pointed at me with her tea spoon. “You can heal him.”

“Heal him?” I repeated, unsure. 

“Well yeah,” she nodded back. “I’m sure Beel has never had someone to talk to about his pain. Boys,” she snorted. “They act all tough around each other- especially brothers. But you, girly- You are the unknown, the new element! You can change all that. You’re in a pact with Mammon and Levi because they trust you,” Aminata explained. “Something about you drew them in. Just be yourself, and Beel will be attracted to that. You’ll win because you’ll get your pact, and Beel will win because he gets someone he can go to about his pain.” 

“You make pacts sound like romantic relationships,” I almost laughed in disbelief. “I-” I felt my D.D.D. buzz and I looked down to see that Levi had sent me a message. “Speak of the devil. Hold on, Levi sent me a message, let me look at it.” 

Leviathan:  _ Normie. Where are you?  _

Leviathan:  _ I need you for something important, it’s urgent.  _

Me:  _ Oh no, is everything alright? I’m at a cafe with my boss. I’ll be back as soon as I can.  _

Leviathan:  _ You sure spend a lot of time with her. It’s not like I’m jealous or anything though.  _

Leviathan:  _ I’m fine, but this is a friendship emergency.  _

Me:  _ Okay, I’ll be there soon! _

I looked up from my phone and gave Aminata an apologetic look. 

“I feel so bad,” I admitted. “I called you up just to rant and now I have to go as soon as I arrived. Levi needs me,” I felt myself blush a little at the way I worded that. “I’m the Henry to his Lord so I have to go.” I joked as I stood up and grabbed my things. Aminata just blinked back. 

“Sounds like an inside nerd thing so I’m not even going to ask what that means.” She winked. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll just finish up your cake.” Aminata reached over and grabbed my half-eaten cake. “Go help ya man, girly!” 

“He’s not my man!” I protested back before leaving the establishment. 

“...Eh?” Mammon let out a noise of surprise when he saw me jog up towards Levi’s door. I was also surprised to see him as well. “Claudia, didn’t expect to see you here.” 

“I’m surprised to see you outside Levi’s door as well,” I nodded as I took a moment to catch my breath. I didn’t drive over to the cafe so I basically ran back to the House of Lamentation. I thanked my luck that I had been working on my dancing tasks before meeting Aminata so I had on running shoes and workout clothes on instead of my RAD uniform. 

“Are you here to see Levi, too?” Mammon asked as he scratched his head. 

“Yup, that’s right. I had to run over,” I cleared my dry throat. 

“Hold on,” Mammon scoffed. “Ya mean he called you over here as well? Doesn’t he know we’ve got better things to do? I mean, what’s going on with him?” Mammon placed his hands on his hips. “He’s always tellin’ everyone to stay outta his room, but now all of a sudden he sends us a message askin’ us to hurry over.” 

“So you got a message as well?” I raised an eyebrow. “He told me it was an emergency, a friendship emergency.” Mammon looked even more confused and pissed off now. 

“Wha-? Eh, whatever,” he sighed. “Let’s just go inside and figure out what this is about. Yo,” he yelled at the door. “Levi! We’re comin’ in, okay?” Mammon looked like he was about to open the door but paused as soon as his hand was about to grab the doorknob. “...Hold on,” he slowly backed away. “Ya know what? Suddenly I’m having second thoughts. I’m not goin’ in. And you don’t go in, neither.” 

“Huh, why?” I laughed a little. “Come on, I can’t just abandon Levi.” 

_ I’m sure whatever the otaku has planned, it can’t be that bad… right?  _

“I’m getting a real, real bad feeling about this for some reason,” Mammon explained as he grabbed my arm. “Listen, we need to get outta here, and quick-” The door to Levi’s room quickly swung open and Levi stood in the doorway. 

__ “Too late!” He exclaimed as he latched onto us. Mammon screamed in fear as he let go of my arm and jumped. Levi hooked arms with us and started to drag us inside his lair. “I’m not about to let you slip through my fingers. Loooool! Not now that you’re already here! Lololol~” 

“Hey Levi,” I smiled. “I hope I’m not too late?” 

“You’re here at the perfect time, now, come on. Hurry up. Inside, both of you,” He grunted at the whining Mammon. 

“D-ah- Woah, hold on!” Mammon yelled with panic. “Hey, leggo of my arm, Levi!” Mammon’s yells were in vain because as soon as Levi got up both inside, he quickly closed the door behind us and jumped out in front of us. “Welcome, my dear brother, the Lord of Fools…” Levi’s voice was grand as he stretched his arms out with anticipation. “Welcome, Henry. Welcome to Castle Leviathan.”

“Oh, this sounds kind of fun,” I beamed a little. 

“Wha?” Mammon snorted. “Which one of us is supposed to be the Lord of Fools and which one’s Henry?” 

“Stay in character!” Levi snapped as he placed a makeshift crown on Mammon and his own heads. “This needs to feel like we’re really in the world of  _ The Tale of the Seven Lords. _ ” I seriously nodded. As a dedicated actor and occasional DnD player, I would not let my fellow nerd down. “Mammon, you’re the Lord of Fools, and Claudia is Henry. I mean, duh. That should be obvious,” Levi hissed. “Get a clue!” 

“Hey, don’t blame me!” Mammon shrugged back. “I ain’t got a clue about what’s even goin’ on here! Try yourself in my shoes,” he explained. “Suddenly bein’ thrust into your weird fantasy world-” 

“Whatever,” Levi rolled his eyes as he pointed to three chairs that he had set up in a circle. They were decorated to look like thrones from the series. In the center of the circle was some type of seal. “Just sit down here, Mammon.” He directed him to the seat on the right. “And Claudia, you sit right there.”

“Of course, my dear Lord of Shadow.” I nodded before sitting down in the seat I was directed to.

“Wait,” Mammon shivered as he looked down at the seal on the ground. “What’s up with this magic seal thing you’ve got on the floor here…? C’mon,” Mammon threw his hands up in frustration. “This is gettin creepy! You could at least tell us what it is you expect us to do here!”

“I’m getting pretty curious as well,” I admitted to the pair. 

“Mammon,” Levi sat down in the last seat. “You made a pact with Claudia, right?”

“Not that I had a choice, but yeah,” he grunted back and I punched his arm. “Ow, hey!” 

“Right, and I made a pact, too.” 

“That’s right,” I smiled. 

“You know what that means, right?” Levi gushed with excitement. “This is just like the situation between the two lords and the hero Henry in  _ The Tale of the Seven Lords _ ! So, Henry makes a covenant with both the Lord of Fools and the Lord of Shadows, right?” Levi blabbed on. 

_ Oh boy, here he goes _ , I thought with a knowing smile. 

“Up to that point,” Levi went on. “The two lords had been on super bad terms, but their countries resume diplomatic relations because of it! Oh, I should mention that the REASON the Lord of Fools and the Lord of Shadow were on bad terms is because the Lord of Fools was an idiot who wasted money and kept getting into debt. The Lord of Shadow grew sick and tired of it. But then, Henry enters the mix. He talks to each one of them separately, telling them stories about the other, and eventually, the two lords decide to put aside their differences. But the major development was when Henry-” I silently listened to Levi go on and on without much of a fight. I wiggled around in my chair, trying to get comfortable. Mammon couldn’t handle it for too much longer. 

“AAAAH!” He screamed out in agony as he slammed his fists onto his legs. “This is takin’ too long! Just give us the short version, Levi!” 

“Don’t worry, we know what happens. We are all fans of TSL, after all.” I attempted to softly bring up.

“What I’m trying to say is that you, Claudia, and I are about to swear an oath to be allies,” Levi finally clarified.

“Ooooh,” I got a little excited.  _ So he’s admitting that we are friends!  _ I thought with glee. 

“...Wha? Allies?” Mammon crossed his arms. 

“That’s right. ALLIES, Mammon.” The Avatar of Envy yelled. “Do you have too much wax in your ears or something?” Levi reached over and grabbed a sword that he had placed on the ground. Both Mammon and I jumped a little in fright. We both spoke at the same time. 

“Woah, why is there a sword-?” 

“W-W-Wait just a second!” Mammon held his hands out in defense. “I sorta get what you’re tryin’ to do now, but what exactly are ya planning on usin’ that sword there for, huh?!”

“Are you dense?” Levi sighed. “That’s what we use when we make our oath, obviously.” 

“I get that,” I weakly spoke up. “But you don’t expect us to cut ourselves with it, right…? Right?” I could feel myself nervously sweat.

“That’s a real sword, ain’t it?!” Mammon asked before Levi could answer. “Where’d you even get somethin’ like that, anyway?!”

“Probably Akuzon,” I guessed. 

“That’s right!” Levi beamed. “Where else? I’m a premium member. I can get anything I need shipped to me by noon the next day at the touch of a button,” Levi explained with glee as he carefully studied his sword. “Everything from luxury sports cars to black gecko food. And since I’m a premium member,” he grinned. “The shipping is free!” 

“We have a service like that in the human realm as well,” I eagerly explained. “But I don’t know if you can buy swords or not…” I felt around for my human phone. “Hey, but that’s not some normal sword, right? It looks familiar.” 

“It’s the Lord of Shadow’s greatsword, I got it off of an Akuzon thunder deal,” Levi explained as he held it out for me to study and take in all of the detail. “Check it out… Take a look at how detailed the crest is on it. I mean, THAT’S craftsmanship!” I nodded.

“The detail and care is extremely impressive,” I replied back. 

“I don’t know nothin’ about that, Levi, and I don’t care!” Mammon snapped.

“Wha?” Levi laughed. His breath tickled my ears. He was still so close to me so that he could show me the details. I blush at the intimacy. “You’re saying you’ve never heard of an Akuzon thunder deal? LMAO, that’s hilarious! Like, have you been hiding under a rock for the last decade, Mammon? Pff, what a noob! Looool!” 

“That’s NOT what I meant, Levi-” Levi pulled away from me and the sword swung towards Mammon’s direction. “-AAAAH!” He ducked down. “Quit wavin’ that thing around! D’AAAH, don’t point it at me!” I winched and scooted my chair back a little so that I wasn’t within striking distance. 

“Please be careful!” I warned. “How about,” I stood up and touched the hand that Levi was using to hold onto the greatsword. “We get on with this ceremony, yeah?” 

“WHAT?!” Mammon hollered as he jumped from his seat. “Are you outta your mind?! Can’t ya tell this ceremony of his is gonna be dangerous?!” 

“I mean,” I slowly drew out with a shrug as I let go of Levi’s hand. Levi looked a little tense from my touch. “I don’t think Levi would ever do anything to hurt me.” 

“That’s the spirit, Claudia,” Levi smiled at me before turning his attention back to his brother. “You know Mammon, you really should learn when to give up. This is happening.” 

“Hold on!” Mammon argued back. “I’m serious here! I’m the NORMAL one here! It’s you two that’re bein’ all strange!”

“But it’s for friendship!” I joked back with a fake sad expression. 

“Right, so whatever Mammon.” Levi dismissed his brother. “Now come on, let’s get this show on the road,” Levi took a moment to clear his throat. “UPON THIS HOLY BLADE,” Levi held up the glorious sword. “SHALT THEE SWEAR AN OATH OF BLOOD-”

“Woah, woah, woah!” I yelled as I dove behind my chair. Mammon screamed and almost dived into Levi’s tub. 

“...Okay, done!” Levi beamed with pride. “The three of us are allies, bound by a blood oath. 

“.....S-seriously, I thought I was gonna end up dead for sure there for a second,” Mammon explained, his voice shaking. “You just took 5000 years off my life, Levi…” 

“How do you think I felt?” I whined back as I slowly rose to my feet. “But I’m glad that we got that over with.” I laughed a little with a smile. “You scared the shit out of me, Levi.” Levi laughed a little bit in return as he placed the sword back into its case. 

“Claudia,” he grabbed my attention with my name as soon as he was done laughing. “Since we’re allies now, we’ll need to go ahead and exchange information now. But,” he stepped up to me with a blushing face. “Don’t get the wrong idea here. It’s not like I want to be FRIENDS or anything-” 

_ Even though you totally do,  _ I thought with amusement. 

“But now that we’re sworn allies,” he explained shyly. “It’d be weird if we didn’t call each other often. Totally strange. That’s the only reason I’m doing this.” I stepped over next to him and pulled out my phone. I had already made sure to add him as a contact the first time he called me, but this time I added him as a favorite and got his Devilgram account. “...And done.” He declared as he stepped away from me. “I guess it’d be okay to give me a call when you have a free moment,” he brought up with a pleased expression. “I mean, I wouldn’t mind or anything. I dunno if I’ll respond… But I mean, I might-” He started to ramble again as I just smiled and listened. “If I happen to have absolutely nothing better to do at the time, that is. But you know, don’t get your hopes up. I’m a pretty busy guy and there are a lot of games on my pile of shame I still have to play.” 

“What am I gonna do with you, little brother?” Mammon chuckled with a smile at us. “You’re just dyin’ to get Claudia’s contact info, huh? You can be sorta cute sometimes, ya know that?” Mammon leaned in closer as he continued to tease him. “You don’t actually have any other friends you can exchange numbers with, do ya?”

“Well, at least people haven’t blacklisted me for sending messages begging for money,” Levi casually brought up. “Unlike a certain demon I know who goes by the name of Mammon.” 

“Damn,” I laughed. “Roasted.” 

“Ugh!” Mammon hissed as he started to storm out. “I take back what I said! There ain’t nothin’ cute about you, Levi!” I watched Mammon leave before turning back to Levi. 

“Don’t take what he says too seriously,” I offered but then laughed a little. “I mean, but I’m sure you already know that. I um,” I fiddled with my hair. “I don’t think it’s a bad thing to not have that many contacts. I feel a little special that I’m one of the lucky few that do have your number!” I watched Levi’s golden eyes widen a little before turning to leave. “Well I better go, I need to take a shower before dinner!” I hurried out with a flutter in my chest. 

_ You know,  _ I admitted to myself as I walked down the hallway.  _ Even if I am stuck here in the Devildom in a bad situation, I am still glad that I am making friends. Maybe I should stop being such a grump and really take to heart what Aminata said: things could be worse… Now,  _ I felt the flutter in my chest transform into a tight twist.  _ I need to figure out just what exactly I am going to say to Belphegor tonight.  _ Damnit,  _ depending on what I say and find out, things could definitely get worse, way worse.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	16. Chapter 16: Do Demons lie, lie, lie?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia confronts Belphegor about his identity. With this new information, will she still want to help him? She's not sure until Mammon says something surprisingly wise.

“...Ah, it’s you,” Belphegor whispered as he noticed me standing outside his door. It was late into the night and I only hoped that Lucifer would not find out that I had climbed the staircase again. I was up rather later than I would normally prefer and I knew that I would regret staying up so late tomorrow morning once I had to drag myself out of bed, but it was necessary. I needed the truth. 

“Hello,” I whispered back at the same level.

“So, how did it go?” He impatiently grabbed at the door and got as close as he could. “I trust you haven’t forgotten what I told you?” 

“Of course I haven’t forgotten,” I replied with a slight sigh. “But look I-”

“Have you managed to gain Beelzbub’s trust somewhat?” Belphegor interrupted me and I decided that I would ask the question that had been on my mind all day:

“Are you Belphegor?”

I stared into his deep eyes with intensity, demanding an answer. 

“Aww,” He almost seemed to whine but with the energy of a child who was about to slip into a sugar comma. “So you’ve already figured me out, have you? Well. you’re no fun at all.”

“I’m also sharper than you think, apparently,” I remarked as I crossed my arms with a stern gaze. He smiled a little. 

“Well, you are definitely right. I’m Belphegor, Avatar of Sloth, and I’m the seventh demon living here in this building.” 

_ So, now I finally know for sure,  _ I noted to myself.  _ But why did he lie when I asked him if he was a demon? Did he not think that I would help a demon?  _

“I knew it… Why did you lie to me? It was really unnecessary,” I frowned. 

“Why did I lie to you..?” He didn’t seem to understand me for a moment. “Ah,” he finally got it. “You must be referring to how I pretended to be a human.” I nodded. “It wasn’t so much that I lied to you, more that I was teasing you. Though I figured it wouldn’t be long before you found out the truth either way.” 

_ That sounds like bullshit, _ I thought while not bothering to hide my deadpan look.  _ Unless teasing means something different in the Devildom, then what you did was definitely not teasing.  _

“Humans really are a stupid, foolish lot,” I snapped my attention back to the smug and smirking Belphegor.

“Excuse me?” I snorted. “That statement is up for debate but it sounds like a more personal attack coming from you.” I took a deep breath, making sure I didn’t go full sass mode. “Well, it was rather easy to figure out, especially since it was very clear that you and Beel knew each other. He even told me about you.” 

“He really did?” Belphegor seemed surprised. “Well, that alone suggests that he trusts you. He and my other brothers all believe that I was forced to go to the human world as an exchange student, don’t they?” He asked. 

“That’s correct,” I nodded and shifted my weight a little between my feet. “None of them know the truth.”

“I’d love to see the looks on their faces if they found out that Lucifer was actually keeping me up here in this filthy attic,” Belphegor playfully commented with a smirk. “Heh heh.. But even if they don’t know the truth, now you do, don’t you? I lied to you, sure, but Lucifer did lock me up here. That’s the truth.” 

“I know,” I softly responded. “I am obviously mad about the fact that you lied,” I narrowed my eyes. “But, I am still going to help you. But why me? Why couldn’t your brothers help you? I’m sure they would,” I brought up. 

“If that were possible,” Belphegor scowled with discontentment. “I would’ve done it long ago. Think about it,” He sighed. “If my other brothers learned about my current situation, what do you think they’d do?” He closed his eyes in concentration. “I’m sure they’d fly into a fit of rage and confront Lucifer about it.”

“Yikes,” I hissed. “I can only imagine how bad that could go.” 

“It wouldn’t be any ordinary family squabble,” Belphegor explained. “No, it might very well devolve into a war that would envelop the entire Devildom. If worst came to worst, even the human world wouldn’t be spared its effects. I’d like to find a peaceful resolution to all this,” he stated seriously. “For Lucifer, for the Devildom, and for the human world as well. Personally, I’d like to be able to have a proper face-to-face talk with Lucifer. Sure,” he shrugged. “We may have had a falling out, but really, it was only a little misunderstanding. If I could just talk with him, he’d realize that was the case.” 

“That’s a wise plan,” I nodded respectfully yet I had a few doubts. 

_ Misunderstanding? Was that all it really was? No, whatever the conflict was, I’m sure it wasn’t a minor one.  _

“Yup, and it’s all I want. I need to find some way to get out of here, find Lucifer, and have a talk with him,” Belphegor summarized his plan. 

“And you need me to make that happen, I understand,” I caught on to what he was saying. “But, I can’t ignore the fact that you might still be lying to me.” 

“Well,” He looked a little defeated. “I suppose I can’t blame you for not trusting me… But you said it yourself, you’re the only person I can count on to help me now. Just think about it, I’ll be here,” He smiled a little before turning away and walking deeper into the attic. I started to walk downstairs, along with my thoughts. 

Me:  _ I know you said Belphegor was hateful, but I didn’t expect him to be such a liar. I want to help but my brain is saying “Bad Claudia! Stupid idea!”  _

I was chatting with Aminata over text as I walked through the House of Lamentation the next morning. It was the weekend so I didn’t have any classes and I planned on spending my Saturday catching up with school work and relaxing. I tapped away at my phone with one hand while the other carried a cup of tea. 

Aminata:  _ Damn girly, sounds problematic but helping will be fun!  _

Aminata:  _ I’m wondering why Lucy and Belly had beef. I don’t go to RAD so I don’t know all of the student council drama but maybe Nickels does. You met Nickels, right?  _

Me:  _ Lucy and Belly, lol _

Me:  _ I did, how did you know?  _

Aminata:  _ He told me as soon as I told him who got the job. He’s something, isn’t he? Welly well, anyhoo. My point is, maybe as a demon, he knows more.  _

Me:  _ Does he go to RAD? _

Aminata:  _ Nope, but it’s kind of a long story. I bet he will still be helpful.  _

I glanced up from my phone because I could hear a conversation in the distance. I was on my way to the planetarium so that I could sit in peace and quiet but apparently I was walking into something. I noticed that the voices came from Lucifer and Beel. 

_ I don’t want to do this, but this might be a chance to learn more about what’s going on between the brothers. _

I slipped behind the wall that led into the planetarium and quickly texted Aminata. 

Me:  _ I think I’m about to learn some tea. Beel and Lucifer are talking about something serious.  _

“I haven’t heard anything from Belphine up in the human world,” I heard Beel said with disappointment and I felt my heartache for him. 

“He’s probably been busy,” Lucifer casually replied back. I could hear my phone buzz with a reply from Aminata. “The life of an exchange student is a busy one.” 

_ Hell, I know it is for me, _ I lightly scoffed. 

“Belphine was against the whole idea of the exchange program from the start,” Beel replied back. “I know he didn’t want to go to the human world of all places.” My eyes widened at what I was hearing. Could the exchange program be what caused such a great divide between Lucifer and Belphegor?

“No, I don’t imagine he did,” Lucifer snapped back. 

“Come on, Lucifer.” Beel’s voice sounded a little desperate. “You have to forgive Belphine. If you insist on sending an exchange student to the human world, I’ll go instead,” he volunteered. “So could you let Belphine come back here to the Devildom?” 

_ How sad,  _ I sighed as I clutched my D.D.D. to my chest.  _ Beel really does care about his twin and it shows. _

“No,” Lucifer growled. 

“But-” 

“You understand Diavolo’s dream, don’t you?” Lucifer asked as if it was some kind of a reminder. 

“... For angels, demons and humans to recognize, accept, and respect one another,” Beel monotonically recited. “And to create a new world together-” 

“Exactly,” Lucifer cut his brother off. I could hear the pride oozing from his voice. “And the first step toward that goal is the exchange program. But Belphegor opposed it.” 

_ I knew it!  _ I bit down on my bottom lip to stop myself from saying something.  _ He opposed it… but why? Didn’t Belphegor preach peace to me last night yet he disagreed with Diavolo’s pacifist plan?  _

“I will eliminate anyone who tries to stand in the way of Diavolo’s dream, no matter who they might be. Even if it’s my own brother,” Lucifer warned and I felt my heart pound. The threat wasn’t even directed towards me and I was still scared. 

_ Of course, Lucifer does tend to make my heart pound, for the better or worst.  _

Beel said nothing and Lucifer continued. 

“Beel, it’s not that I don’t understand how you feel,” I could hear him sharply sigh. “Belphine is your twin brother, and you were especially close to him. So with that said, answer me this. Who would you choose to side with, Belphegor or me?” I could feel my jaw tightened from his words. 

“I, uh….” Beel was understandably put into an awkward situation. “...”

“So,” I heard a voice and turned to see Mammon who had slipped next to me in my hiding place. “He can’t manage to answer, eh? That’s just like Beel,” Mammon shook his head. 

“Wait, huh,” I whispered. “How did you-?” 

“What?” Mammon smirked. “Don’t look at me like that. You were eavesdroppin’ on them too. You tryin’ to tell me that it’s okay for you to do it, but not me?”

“No, I’m not. You just surprised me,” I admitted in a hushed tone.

“Sorry I guess,” He shrugged. “Hey, if we stay here too long, eventually Lucifer is gonna find us. Come on, let’s head over that way.” He directed my attention towards the hallway. We snuck off and I slipped my phone into my pocket. Aminata would have to wait. 

“...Huh. So, Beel told you about Belphine and Lilith, didn’t he?” Mammon asked as soon as we were safe in the dining room. I had disclosed a few details to Mammon, but I knew it would be unwise if I told him all that I had knowledge of. I nodded as I sipped on my tea. “I’ve gotta say,” Mammon seemed impressed, “Gettin’ Beel to tell you about Belphine and Lilith… For a human, you’ve done good! I gotta hand it to ya!” He grinned as he patted me on the back. “Anyway,” he cleared his throat and looked off. “How do I explain this? So, we were all actually angels up in the Celestial Realm before we fell from grace, so to speak. Back then, Lucifer was especially fond of Beel, Belphine, and Liltih. He loved those three… But things changed after we ended up in the Devildom.”

“Really, how?” I had a feeling I was about to discover another piece of the puzzle. 

“I mean, Lucifer is such a super-serious guy and all, so after pledging loyalty to Lord Diavolo, he always put Diavolo’s desires first from that point on, no matter what,” Mammon explained and I thought back to when Lucifer walked in on Diavolo and me in his office. “He does it even when it’s something he doesn’t agree with, ya know? I mean,” he huffed, “Seriously, would it kill him to be a little flexible sometimes?”

“I’m sure he has a lot of pressure put on him,” I spoke up. “I understand how hard stress can be, especially when you are trying to create the perfect image for yourself. He probably feels like he has no choice.” 

“Seems like you understand that pretty well,” Mammon scratched his head. “But honestly, I don’t get it. Anyway,” he went on. “That’s what brought this on. When Lord Diavolo suggested this exchange program thing, and Belphine opposed it. Lucifer wouldn’t listen to a thing Belphine said. He just sent him straight up to the human world, and that was that.” Mammon looked sad and guilty. It seemed that even those beside Beel missed Belphegor dearly. “I mean, I’m not sayin’ that Belphine would’ve convinced him of anything even if he’s taken the time to listen, but still…” Mammon became quieter and I scooted a little closer to him, wanting to comfort him. “If the two of them would’ve talked it out, I can’t help thinkin things would’ve turned out different.” Mammon straightened up with a grin. “Whoa, did ya hear that?!” 

“Hear what?” I asked as I looked around. 

“I just said somethin’ kinda awesome there, didn’t I?!” I rolled my eyes with an easygoing smile. “It’s not often I do that!” He jumped up with pride. “Way to go me!” He laughed. “MAN, I’m amazing! Hey, come on,” He grabbed my arm and pulled me up. I blushed at how close he had pulled me to him. I could smell his freshly washed hair. “I think I deserve some praise here! And while you’re at it, how about ya show a little reverence, too!” I laughed a little as I pat his head. 

“You’re right, but don’t get too egoistic on me!” I placed my hands on his shoulders as I pulled away. He actually seemed surprised to see me react the way I was. “You said something very wise.” I grinned a little and teased him. “Hey, look at you, having a brain and all! Your brothers better be careful because if they don’t watch out, you’re going win me over with your charm and wits.” I saw Mammon’s face heat up and he mumbled about having to go do something “to get rich” before running off. 

“That’s right, I am pretty sharp!” He yelled while hurrying off. “And don’t you forget it!” I smiled as I watched him leave but sighed as soon as he was out of sight. I slumped back down in the chair I was sitting in and pulled out my phone. 

_ Talk… Both Mammon and Belphine brought up talking things out… _

I went to my message app to see what Aminata said. 

Aminata:  _ Oh word? Tell me what you heard.  _

Me:  _ Sorry, I’m back now. I was lucky I didn’t get caught… it was intense.  _

Me:  _ I have a lot to unpack, but one thing is for sure, I need to see Belphegor again. _

“Well, this is currently unexpected,” Belphegor admitted as he smiled at me. I had showed up again at Belphegor’s door late into the night. “It’s only been a day and already you’re back.”

“I guess I am just full of surprises, huh?” I waved my hands a little. 

“I thought it would be longer before you returned if you ever did at all.” I adjusted my nightgown before sitting down in front of the door. Belphegor joined me down on the ground as he asked: “So, I take it you’ve decided to help me for certain?” 

“Yes, I’ve made up my mind,” I nodded with determination. 

“I have to wonder, though, ” he curiously studied me. “What was it that changed your mind.” 

“Hm, a lot of things. I want to help everyone: Beel, Lucifer, and even… you. I want to help you,” I admitted. 

“Oh? Are you really?” He sighed. “Do you think you can get on my good side, is that it?” 

“What? No,” I glared back. “I just care about what is going on.” 

“If you’re really telling me that you feel sympathy for me,” he sharply responded. “I’m happy to take advantage of that for my own gain, but it’s not going to get you anywhere.” 

“I never expected that I would gain something from the beginning. I’m just following my morals,” I clarified. “Is that so unbelievable?” 

“Yes,” he sounded bitter. “Now, I’ll say this as many times as I have to, because it’s important, you can’t tell my other brothers anything about this. They have to keep believing that I’m up in the human world as an exchange student.” 

“I know,” I nodded. “You won’t need to remind me. To tell them would be foolish. The last thing I want is for all of them to start fighting.” I sadly recalled the question that Lucifer had asked Beel: Who would you choose to side with, Belphegor or me? I never wanted any of them to ever have to make a choice like that, it was too unfair. 

“Now, if you got that, then go ahead and go back to your room,” Belphegor dismissed me. He started to stand up before pausing and turning back to me. “... Actually, wait a minute. There’s something important I haven’t said.” 

“Yes?” I asked, making sure to give him all of my attention. 

“I really do appreciate your help. Honestly,” he sincerely confessed. “If you hadn’t shown up, I would’ve been trapped up here for who knows how long. So,” he smiled. “I want you to know I’m grateful… Thank you, Claudia.”

“Hehe, I don’t mind at all. You’re welcome!” I beamed with a smile as I stood up. “Bye Belphegor!” I brightly waved as I started to sneak downstairs. My phone buzzed and I glanced down at it. 

_ Wait, what? Luke is texting me?  _ I thought as soon as I saw the contact. 

Luke:  _ Can you come outside now?  _

Luke:  _ I’m in front of the House of Lamentation.  _

Me:  _ At this hour? Oh gosh, something must have happened. I’m on my way now! _

Instead of heading towards Beel’s room to go to bed, I hurried downstairs to join Luke outside. This was definitely unexpected and I worried that something might have happened to him.

“Luke!” I called out with a wave as I jogged over to the entrance gates that kept unwanted visitors out. 

“Claudia!” Luke called back, relief washing over him. “You came, thank you! I was worried,” he explained. “I don’t know what I’d do if someone saw me hanging out in a place like this.” I laughed a little.

“Well, how can I help you? Is there something you need? It’s awfully late…” I felt myself yawn and I rubbed my eyes. 

“Yeah,” he glanced over at the House of Lamentation with discontent. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have come to this den of demons. Now,” he narrowed his eyes. “I’ll get right to the point. I need you to let me spend the night in your room tonight. Please,” he grasped at the gate bars. “I’m begging you!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, hey everyone. Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	17. Chapter 17: Do Demons put Others Before Themselves?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The surprise request from Luke puts Claudia in an awkward position and she turns to Beel for help. The pair allows Luke to stay with them, but it is easier said than done. The task ends up feels a lot more like babysitting than offering someone harbor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly think the relationship between Beel and MC is so underrated and while I have been writing the chapters that involve Beel, I've found that I end up appreciating him way more than I did at first. Beel is just so caring and sweet? People really sleep on him as a character and it makes me a little sad.

“Uh,” I blinked and stepped back in surprise. 

_ I mean, I’m not embarrassed by the idea of sharing a room with Luke, after all, he is basically just a kid but I’m not sure if I can really help him out when I am sharing a room with Beel.  _ I stared down at Luke’s desperate and pouty face and felt my heartstrings being tugged on.  _ But I would be a monster if I said no.  _

“Okay,” I weakly nodded as I caved. “I want to help you. I trust you, after all, I know I can.” I reached over and started to open up the gates for him. “But you might be disappointed by what I can offer you,” I warned Luke. 

“Huh? Why is that?” He asked in return as he cautiously moved towards me like prey entering dangerous territory. 

“I think it will be easier to show you then to explain,” I nervously laughed. “Okay,” I glanced towards the demon manor as I gently closed the gate once Luke was through. “We’ll have to be silent until we get somewhere safe. I don’t think Lucifer would be pleased to hear that I was bringing a runaway inside his house.” I put a finger against my lips. “Just follow my lead and we will be fine.” 

Luke gulped with a nod and I held out my hand to him. He huffed in annoyance at being treated like a child but tightly grabbed onto my hand. When I brought him to Beel room he tensed up considerably and shot me a look of disbelief. Beel was sitting up on the couch and staring at Luke in silence. He had yet to ask any questions. 

“Claudia, this isn’t what I was talking about at all,” Luke sternly explained. “I believe I asked to stay in your room, so what are we doing here in Beelzebub’s?!”

“Uh, well,” I waved at Beel awkwardly. “Hey, Beel sorry… Did I wake you up?” I asked with concern. 

“Nope,” he grunted back. 

“Good, good,” I placed my hands on Luke’s shoulders. “Well, Luke is going through something right now and asked to stay in my room but well,” I sighed and looked down at Luke. “My room is currently Beel’s room right now,” I explained. “It’s a long story, but my room is currently being repaired and is currently unusable.” 

“It’s all because of the custard,” Beel shook his head with a bitter tone. 

“The custard…?” Luke just looked even more confused. 

“As I said, it’s a long story,” I gave Luke a shrug. 

“Ugh!” Luke got agitated. 

“Luke, if you are going to be here you better quiet down,” Beel mentioned with a troubled look. “You’re talking too loud. If you don’t want the others to know you’re here, you’d better keep it down. Claudia and I have to share a room now and we don’t have a choice. Those were Lucifer’s orders.” Beel turned his attention to me. “I don’t remember asking anyone to pick up a dog from the street and bring it back here, not to mention one that never stops barking. You said he had to run away?” He asked me with dread as he shoved his hands in his pockets. 

“I’m not sure why myself,” I quietly admitted. 

‘Hey!” Luke jumped with displeasure. “Don’t you compare me to a dog! Anyway, I wasn’t picked up off the street! I came here of my own free will!” 

“It’s okay, it’s okay!” I hushedly tried to calm him down so that he wouldn’t be heard. 

“Here,” Beel stood up and handed Luke a cup of a red drink I didn’t recognize. I guessed that it must be some kind of fruit drink. Beel had most likely planned to drink it himself. “Drink this for now,” he told Luke, “And try to calm down.”

“Wh-What’s this supposed to be?” Luke trembled as he clutched onto the cup and glared at it with suspicion. “... It’s red. It better not be some sort of weird demon drink- like some strange creature’s blood or something! Tell me it’s not!”

“It’s just pomegranate juice,” he replied back. 

“Wh… What?” Luke glared down at the cup. “Beelzebub, why are you being nice to me? It’s creeping me out.” Beel smiled in return. 

_ It’s because Beel can be a kind and caring person, that’s why,  _ I reasoned.  _ Even as a demon.  _

“Because you gave me cake once,” Beel licked his lips. 

_ Or yeah, because Luke gave him food.  _ I just laughed a little as I led Luke to Beel’s bed and sat him down. I joined his side, sitting next to him. 

“Did I?” Luke mumbled to himself before it clicked in his brain. “Ah, right, you're talking about that one time…” 

“Oh yeah, when?” I asked with interest. I was surprised to know that the two regularly interacted. 

“It’s nothing important, really,” Luke explained before sipping on the juice. “But in recent years I’ve actually been learning how to bake cakes and pastries and things.” 

“Oh really?” My eyes lit up. “Baking is such a fun hobby. That’s really interesting. I can totally see you being into baking.” 

“R-Really?” He smiled happily. “It’s not that impressive, I mean, I’ve only been doing it for about 200 years or so. I’m still an amateur!” I felt my jaw drop. I knew Luke was an angel, but I really did forget how old the people around me were. 

“An amateur?!” I almost yelled. “With 300 years under your belt, you must be amazing!”

“I’m not there yet, but I hope to be!” Luke was all bubbly while he was talking about his greatest passion. “Michael loves sweets of all kinds, so I’d like to present him with a cake I made myself someday! That’s why I’m doing it!” 

“Aw!” I gasped as if I just spotted a kitten. “That’s so sweet!” 

“Well anyway, not too long ago I was testing out a new cake recipe,” Luke continued. “When Beel happened to walk by. He mentioned he was hungry, so…”

“Mmm,” Beel smiled with satisfaction as he licked his lips. “Just thinking back on it makes me wish I could have some right now…”

“I only meant for him to sample it and give me his opinion, but he inhaled the entire thing in a single bite!” Luke huffed with vexation and I giggled. “He didn’t even stop to taste it!”

“It was good,” Beel complimented Luke. “And I told you so back then as well.”

“He loves to eat,” Luke whispered to me, “But his vocabulary is almost nonexistent. He’d make the worst food reporter ever.”

“At least his praise comes from the heart,” I joked. “Or shall we say stomach?” Luke groaned a little and I laughed. “So Luke,” I started to steer the conversation in a different direction now that Luke seemed to be in better spirits. “Did something happen between you and Simeon?” I had reasoned that the only reason that Luke had run away from Purgatory Hall, his dorm, is because he got into a scuffle with his friend. I waited in silence as Luke closed his eyes and dramatically sighed. 

“...This is all Simeon’s fault,” he eventually spoke up. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him. He’s getting way too chummy with these demons.” He opened his eyes with annoyance and started to bicker. “We are angels, proud inhabitants of the Celestial Realm! And what’s more, we report directly to Michael the Archangel himself!” Luke fiddled with the cup in his hands. “Yet because of this exchange program, we’ve been sent down here to the Devildom of all places- and what’s more, we’re supposed to associate with demons!” He groaned. “It’s unbelievable!” I nodded along to his words. 

_ He’s homesick and scared…  _ I felt myself relate to Luke.  _ I mean, that has to be it, right? It’s not about the demons, it’s because he misses what he has and feels like he got picked because he wasn’t wanted in the Celestial Realm… I miss home too, but I keep telling myself that I am here to help out. It’s all I can do to prevent myself from craving what I love: my parents, my friends, my cat…  _

“I mean, we’re talking about DEMONS here!” Luke exclaimed. “Just the idea of speaking with one face-to-face is repulsive!” 

“Uh,” Beel whispered as he adjusted the tank top he was wearing, “Let’s not forget that I’m actually a demon myself.” 

“If we go making friends with demons,” Luke went on ranting to me, not hearing Beel, “What do you think is going to happen next, huh? I’ll tell you what!” Luke stood up and faced me. “We’ll be corrupted!” 

“Hehe, then I think it’s definitely too late for me,” I quietly joked. 

_ I’m nonreligious to begin with so I might already be considered corrupt in the eyes of angels _ , I thought to myself without much weight. 

“I’m always warning him about this,” I assumed Luke meant Simeon, “But he ignores me. Then he just leaves to have tea with Diavolo…” Luke blushed in embarrassment. “He even suggested that I ask Barbatos to instruct me in the finer points of baking pastries and cakes! Can you believe it?! True,” Luke slipped in, “It’s said that Barbatos is the greatest pastry chef in all the three worlds, but he’s a DEMON.” 

“Baking with Barbatos does sound lovely though,” I thought back to the loyal and diligent butler that served under Lord Diavolo. He seemed very civil, unlike the demons that gave me vulgar glares and aggressive threats. I agreed that not all demons were enjoyable, but I could say the same about humans. I couldn’t judge a whole group based on one experience or from some cruel stereotype. 

“Even if it does, the point is that Simeon won’t listen to a thing I say!” Luke crossed his arms and hunched over. “I could disappear off the face of the Earth for all he cared! In fact,” Luke’s lip trembled as he spoke. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he even finds me annoying. Maybe he thinks of me like a dog too- a noisy dog that never shuts up!” 

“Well, it’s true that you never shut up,” Beel mumbled and I shot him a glare. 

“No, no, Luke!” I hugged him and he reacted in surprise. “Of course Simeon would never think that. Simeon is basically a saint and I don’t think you are annoying Luke, even if you get teased a lot.” 

“Thank you,” he mumbled as his small arms hugged me back. “But Simeon would rather spend time with DEMONS than with me…!” He whined. 

“...Oh, so this is just about being jealous, then…” Beel remarked quietly and I shushed him. 

“But Luke,” I pulled away from the hug and bent down a little. “What happened tonight?” 

“I um,” he set down the cup he was holding that was now empty. “I told Simeon our friendship was over, and then I strode right of Purgatory Hall- that’s our dorm- so I can’t go crawling back now,” he looked down at his feet as he lowered his voice, “Not after I did that. Which,” he looked back up at Beel and me, “Is why I’m asking you to let me stay here for a while.” 

“Even though you hate demons?” Beel asked, finding the situation ironic. 

“Well, what choice do I have?!” He yelled defensively before becoming softer. “... This is the only place I could think of to go.” 

“Beel,” I looked over at him with wide and watery eyes. “Please? I think we should let him stay here! He’s having such a hard time right now.” 

“Oh, Claudia!” Luke hugged me again. “I knew that I could count on you! You’ve got the heart of an angel!” 

“Oh I don’t know about that,” I laughed, “But thank you.” Beel stared at me for a moment and I anxiously glanced back at him. 

_ Please?  _ I silently begged. 

“...Okay,” Beel admitted defeat. “Luke can stay here. I do owe him for giving me that cake, after all.” 

“Really?” Both Luke and I gasped. “I can stay?!” Luke’s eyes sparkled as he spoke. 

“Just make sure that my brothers don’t find out about you,” Beel seriously told Luke. “If they knew I was sheltering an angel, they'd kick me out of the dorm.” 

“All right, got it!” Luke cheered as he pumped his fists up. “Leave it to me! I’ll make sure no one ever finds out! You think I’m about to let some demons find me?!” He was getting louder. “ **I don’t THIN-** ” 

“Shush,” I shushed Luke as I covered his mouth with my hand. “You need to be quiet Luke.” I slowly removed my hand. “You can sleep in Beel’s bed with me, okay? That bed,” I pointed to Belphegor’s bed. “Is off-limits, but don’t ask why, okay?” I smiled and waited to see if he paid attention to what I said. 

“Why- oh right,” Luke quietly nodded. 

“I’ll make sure to bring up some food for you tomorrow but I only hope it’s not hard,” I said and looked over at Beel. “Uh, you don’t think it should be that hard, right? Oh, who am I kidding?” I shook my head. “What matters is that you will be fed.” I nodded at Luke and he nodded back. I yawned and blinked a few times, trying to keep my eyes open. 

After deciding on a plan, we all went to sleep and I just hoped with all of my heart that letting Luke stay over for a few days wouldn’t be a big issue. Oh boy, hehe, I sure did have a pattern of getting any slimmer of optimism crushed the moment I even dared to hope for something peaceful. It all started with getting food to Luke. Sunday was easy, I spent the day out the whole time, bringing Luke along with me and I was able to avoid family meals, but when it came to Monday, it was hard to remain subtle. 

“...Hey,” Mammon glanced over at me with what looked like concern. “What’s the big deal, Claudia?” He asked me as he poked me. “Is that all you’re gonna eat?” He looked down at my plate. It was only Monday morning and I was getting close to being caught. “If you don’t have yourself a proper breakfast, you’ll run out of gas before lunchtime.” 

_ Shit, shit, shit!  _ I panicked to myself.  _ Keep it together Claudia, you can do it. _

I couldn’t disappoint Luke, he was just so cute and pure. All I could picture was his bright and smiling face and his words from just a few minutes ago. 

_ Luke tugged on my uniform jacket and I glanced over at him. I was standing in Beel’s and Belphegor’s bathroom working on my makeup. I paused my application of blush and glanced down at him.  _

_ “Hey,” I mumbled, still very tired and not completely awake. I was far from a morning person. “Is something up?”  _

_ “Um,” he smiled. “You said that you would bring me back food last night… So you’re really willing to bring me back something to eat so I can have breakfast too?” _

_ “Oh, ah…” I nodded. “Yeah,” I yawned. “I’ll sure try.”  _

_ “That would be amazing, thanks!” Luke beamed and I felt my chest warm at the cute sight. I felt like I had earned the admiration of a child. “Wow, you’re so nice, Claudia! Oh,” he frowned. “But I can’t eat any of that weird stuff demons like. Like fired bat, monkey brains… that sort of stuff. Also,” I went back to working on my makeup. _

_ “Mhm?” I tiredly hummed.  _

_ “I hate anything tomato-flavored. I can’t handle ketchup either. And there are some cheeses I don’t like… It depends on the variety. Oh, and also-” _

Okay, so maybe Luke wasn’t just cute. He was also extremely picky. Like, I didn’t even know it was possible to be as picky as him. 

_ He’s pickier than my dad when it comes to food, and that’s saying a lot. _

“Are you feelin’ sick to your stomach?” Mammon was still questioning me. “Is that it?” I softly smiled at Mammon. Seeing him so worried about me made me feel a little giddy. 

“Are you worried about me, Mammon? That’s really sweet of you,” I smiled with adoration. 

“Wh..!” He almost pushed me away and jumped out of his seat. “N-No! Why would I be worried about whether you’re sick to your stomach? Pff!” He spat out and blushed a deep shade of red. “You could have an alien burst outta there for all I care! If your stomach hurts, then go cry about it to someone else! Pff,” He turned back to his plate as he crossed his arms. “What a dummy!” 

“Wow,” Asmodeus sighed from across the table and rolled his eyes. “You’re so desperate to deny that you care. It’s embarrassing listening to you when you’re like this…” 

“Welp,” Beel awkwardly got up from his spot with a pained expression. “I think I’ve had enough for now.” Everyone glanced over at the Avatar of Gluttony in absolute horror. Even I was shocked about his self-control and I KNEW what was going on. 

“Wh…?!” Mammon almost choked on his food. 

“Huh?!” Asmodeus looked like someone had just walked into the room wearing the ugliest outfit imaginable. Satan was silent as he stared at Beel as if he was a stranger, someone who was not his brother. 

“Beel!” Mammon shrieked as soon as he wasn’t choking anymore. I winched, Mammon was basically yelling into my ear. “You’re actually gonna… gonna leave FOOD on your plate?! Uneaten food?! You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me…!” 

“I can’t ever remember you doing that,” Asmodeus declared, “And my memory goes back at least 5000 years!” 

“Wow, that’s impressive,” I quietly admitted. 

_ I can hardly remember what I ate last week… I mean, I don’t have a shit memory. If I did, I would not be able to memorize lines and lines of script as an actor.  _

“I didn’t say I wasn’t going to eat it,” Beel clarified as he picked up the plate. “I’m going to take it back to my room and finish it there. That’s all,” he attempted to shrug off his brothers’ concern. 

“Is this the end of the world?!” Mammon questioned seemingly nobody. “Are we about to be invaded by an army of angels?!” 

“Can you really be called the Avatar of Gluttony if you don’t even finish all of the food on your plate?!” Asmodeus questioned his little brother. I bit back a groan. I knew that sneaking some food back to Luke was not going to be an easy process, especially when it came to Beel who was supposed to literally represent the sin of gluttony. “If you don’t have that, you’re just a regular demon, aren’t you?!” Asmodeus gasped. 

“You picked up a cat from the street and brought it back to your room, didn’t you?” Satan deduced. “That’s what this is about.” 

_ A kitty! Man, I wish. _ I sighed but gulped.  _ Satan is smart, he’s on the right track but I hope he doesn’t assume anymore.  _

“Beel, once you’ve had your fun with this animal, you need to put it back where you found it,” Satan demanded.

“Actually, it’s more of a dog than a cat…” He whispered and I had to wheeze out a laugh. I felt bad for Luke always being compared to a dog, but it was a little funny at moments. 

“Hm? Did you say something?” Satan asked. He hadn’t quite caught what Beel said. 

“Nope, nothing,” He shook his head and slipped away. I excused myself as well and hurried after him. When we got upstairs, I saw the last thing that I wanted: Luke wandering around the halls as if he wanted to get caught. 

“Luke!” I hissed as I paced my way over. He noticed us and glanced over. 

“Hmph,” He let his gaze mindlessly wander around the walls. “Considering they call this place the House of Lamentation, I would’ve expected it to be more impressive. But it’s just big… that’s all. Other than that, it’s not so different from Purgatory Hall. Hey, Claudia, Beelzebub! What’s in this room here?” He loudly asked as he pointed to a door. 

“Luke,” Beel sounded so tired and done already. “You can’t just leave my room whenever you feel like it. My brothers will find out.” 

“He’s right,” I nodded along to Beel’s words. “It’s very dangerous.” 

“But everyone else is off to class right now, right?” He protested like a brat. “I can’t stay cooped up in that room forever. I’ll go crazy!” Luke was already wandering off. He opened a door with uncontained curiosity. “Whoa! What’s up with this room here?! It’s crammed wall-to-wall with books! And all of them have to do with demons!” He ran inside and we chased after him. 

“Ugh,” Beel sighed as he followed after him, careful as to not drop the plates we were holding. “He keeps darting around. I can’t manage to catch him.” 

“Wow!” Luke raced over to a window and almost stuck his face on it as he peered out. “The view from up here is amazing!” He said with awe. “I bet you can see the entire Devildom! Ooh!” He pointed at a building in the distance. “I see Purgatory Hall! Look! That window near the spire there is my room! Claudia, Beelzebub… look!” Beel just sighed with exasperation and we shared a look. 

_ At least we are in this together, huh?  _ I thought as I gave Beel a weak smile.  _ I didn’t even expect Beel to help me out with Luke. He could have just said no or left me to watch over him yet here he is by my side.  _ I blushed. 

“Wow, yeah Luke,” I nodded as I walked over to him. “Hey, I know you are excited, but,” I held out the plate I saved for him. “How about you have some breakfast so Beel and I can head off to class?” 

“Oh right,” He said quietly as he took the plate from me. I placed a hand on his back and started to gently lead him towards the bedroom. 

“I’ll let you play my Switch while we’re gone, okay? I also have some books that you can read so that you aren’t bored,” I wanted to do anything in my power to prevent Luke from wandering the halls of the house and getting in trouble. “But, you need to promise me that you won’t leave Beel’s room, okay?” 

“Okay!” Luke replied with a full mouth. He was hungry, he was already woofing down the berries and toast I saved him. 

“Great,” I winked at Beel. “I’ll make sure to pick up your missing school work Luke so that you don’t fall behind.” 

Once I managed to tame the energetic angel with food and video games, Beel and I were able to safely make our way to RAD without (much) worry. 

“I didn’t realize that you were so good with kids,” Beel quietly admitted. 

“Well, I’m pretty sure that I’m considered the kid here when I’m only 17 and Luke is over 300,” I laughed as we walked. The walk was not far and I could see people loitering outside of the main building of the academy. “But I understand what you mean, Luke looks and has the energy of a child. 

“You have a lot of patience,” he remarked with what I hoped with admiration. 

“I usually don’t,” I admitted with a light laugh. “I only have patience when it comes to children. I’m not completely sure why, but I just enjoy spending time with them. I was also once a child, so I understand why they act the way they do. And um,” I hesitated. “Children are pretty upfront about how they feel. You don’t have to constantly guess about how they feel. They hide way less.” 

_ Children are just so much easier to read,  _ I admitted to myself.  _ Is it because of my autism? Maybe, but I’m not telling anyone that. The demon brothers don’t even know that I’m autistic and I am going to keep it that way. They probably don’t care about learning about that kind of stuff…  _

“Hide less?” Beel looked at me with concern. 

“Oh, you know, kids aren’t always the best liars!” I laughed a little, trying to hide the deeper meaning of my words. “I’m glad we aren’t late y-” I could hear the echo of the first bell. “Oh no,” Beel and I both froze up in a panic. “We have five minutes until the tardy bell!” I yelled. “We can make it if we run!” Beel off with a grunt and the two of us started to book it with grins on our face. Somehow, being in a situation together, no matter how tough it was, made it all a little easier to swallow. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	18. Chapter 18: Do Demons Perform Vanishing acts?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia has now dedicated herself to watching over Luke but it's quite the challenge. Things only get worse when after returning from work, Beel's room is met with a surprise inspection.

“I’m sorry, but what did you just say?” Aminata laughed as she studied herself in the mirror. “Girly, so you are harboring an angel in Beelies’ and Belly’s room right now like he’s some pet you just picked up off the street?” 

“I mean… yes?” I hesitated to admit as I struggled to zip up my uniform. Although I was in charge of looking after Luke, I still had my job to worry about. Today was my first day working at Devhora. I was both eager and anxious; however, I was more eager because I hoped that Devhora would act as a haven and distraction from all of the messes I had gotten myself caught up in. Aminata and I were currently in the female employee dressing room getting ready before my shift started. She was touching up her flawless makeup while I was changing. 

“You are just something else, honey,” Aminata just giggled with her comment as she set down the powder in her hand and moved on to looking for any flaws in her bubblegum pink wig. 

“Maybe, or maybe I just can’t say no to people,” I smiled as I shook my head. I adjusted my modest dress before moving to hang up my RAD uniform in my new locker. “So Aminata, will I be shadowing someone today as part of my training?” 

“Yup, yup,” She replied and paused to put some lip gloss on her dark lips before elaborating. “You’ll be mostly shadowing Nickels because you’ve already met him- but also because your shifts match up really well.” 

“Really? He works a 4 to 8 shift normally? I thought he wasn’t a student,” I asked, thinking it was odd that someone would prefer to work a later shift than an earlier one. 

“He’s not,” Aminata explained. “He has strange taste, that one. I’m sure he would tell you why.” She pulled herself away from the mirror and walked towards the door. I trailed behind her like a baby duck. “Now let’s get this show on the road, shall we? You’re a little early, so I’m not sure who else is here yet.” Aminata opened the door out into the back hallway for us and we stepped out just as someone was leaving the male changing room. 

“Speak of the devil, literally,” Aminata playfully nudged my arm and waved to her employee. “Hey hey, Nickels.” 

“Aminata,” he smiled back casually. He was tall, and I hadn’t realized to what extent when I first met him, he had been hunched over the front desk writing the whole time, after all. He had a gentle giant vibe due to his appearance that consisted of dark shaggy hair and a cream sweater jacket that he wore over his uniform shirt. “Miss. Robinson,” he turned his attention to me and held out a hand. “Congratulations on getting the position. I look forward to working with you.” 

_ How kind,  _ I thought with a smile as I shook his large hand.  _ I have never had a demon act so nice to me before.  _

“Thank you,” I replied with glee. “I look forward to working with you as well, sir! Um,” we pulled away from our handshake. “You can just call me Claudia if you like,” I told him. 

_ Miss. Robinson makes me sound old. Well, it's better than “human” or “normie.”  _

“Sure,” Nickels chuckled as the three of us walked to the store section of the building. “I forget that you are still basically a kid. I’m not used to being around children,” He admitted with a light shrug. 

“Or demons!” Aminata laughed. “Can you imagine that?” She asked me as she skipped over to the front counter. “A demon used to humans and not demons?” 

“Really?” I looked up at Nickels with a puzzled expression. “What does Aminata mean?” 

“Well,” Nickels waved me over as he walked around the store studying what was out on display. “I’ve spent most of my life in the human realm than the Devildom. Ah, but that’s an 800-year-old story,” he smirked. “For now, let’s start your training, kid.” 

“800 years?” I shook my head in disbelief. “I really do forget how impossibly old all of the people around me are. I really do feel like an infant here,” I laughed a little. “But okay, I am ready for anything!” I nodded, ready to prove myself at my first job. With the confirmation, Nickels went on to explain that as an employee at Devhora, my duties would consist of helping customers with their shopping experience and to put out inventory. 

“Easy, right?” he asked me once he was done. I slightly grunted as I picked up a heavy box of the latest edition of some magazine called “Devil Style.” The magazine section of the store was looking bare, so while Nickels was explaining the basics of my job, we had moved to the storage room to pull out the latest issues of the top makeup and fashion magazines. 

“Yup, but that doesn’t mean I will slack off,” I huffed a little as I adjusted my box in my slippery hands. 

“Do you need help?” Nickels asked with a tone of concern as he effortlessly picked up three boxes that were stacked on top of each other at once. 

“I got it,” I dismissed his concern stubbornly. “I’m not the strongest, but this is just one box, it’s not a big deal.” We walked out and I continued to talk. “What do you do here, Nickels? I saw you working the cash register the time we met. Is that all you do?” 

“Unless we are short on people, yes, I mostly handle the money,” he replied back. “Aminata only allows people she trusts to work with the money. She mostly handles it alone,” he nodded towards where she was standing. Aminata was sorting the grimm at a register while humming along to a pop song that was playing on the speakers. We set down the boxes in front of the magazine rack and I opened up the box I had carried out. 

“That’s smart, I would do the same,” I admitted. “Some people throw their morals out the window when it comes to money,”  _ or dignity,  _ I mused while thinking back on the begging Mammon who made a pact with me to just get his credit card back. “Ugh,” I held up the latest issue of  _ Devil Style  _ in a snobbish manner. “I don’t like magazines like this. They show unrealistic images of females and are extremely shallow. I find it trashy.” 

“Oh really?” Aminata giggled and Nickels looked back at her as she paused what she was doing. “You might not say that after turning to page 30.” 

“Page 30? What’s so special about page 30?” I asked as I started to flip through the issue. I froze once I landed on page 30. 

_ He’s beautiful,  _ I gulped as my eyes stayed glued to the image of Mammon in some studio posing. There was a light and an almost seductive smirk on his face. He wore a black leather jacket that gave Mammon a bad boy aesthetic and a striped button-up that was hardly buttoned. 

_ I knew that Mammon modeled but wow, the camera sure knows how to make him look even better than he already does. I kind of want this magazine now.  _

Nickels chuckled with amusement and I looked up with absolute embarrassment. 

“Don’t read my thoughts!” I whined as I clutched the magazine close to my chest. My cheeks were on fire. 

“I can’t control it,” Nickels shrugged with little sympathy. 

“What’d she think? What’d she think?” Aminata dashed over to our sides greedily. “Spills the beans!” She pleaded to Nickels as she bounced up and down little a little kid promised ice cream. 

“Hm, oh what to do, what to do,” Nickels hummed as he pretended to think. 

“I hate myself,” I moaned as I buried my face into the magazine. 

“Well,” it seemed that the demon had decided, “All I will say is that the kid thinks Mammon is rather attractive. Satisfied, Aminata?” 

“No,” she whined and crossed her arms. “Everyone knows that he is good looking! All of the brothers are good looking for crying out loud!” I felt myself nodding but stopped myself. 

“Um, Aminata…” I felt so much shame for what I was about to ask. “How much is this magazine?” I slowly lifted my face up as I asked. 

“For you, it’s free,” Aminata winked and started to walk back to the register. 

“Thank you!” I called out and started to fill the magazine racks with gusto. I had never felt so giddy yet childish before, it was very unlike me to be drawn to someone’s physical appearance so much. I decided not to dwell on it and focus on my work. The hours passed by quickly as I watched and helped Nickels show customers around and check inventory. I enjoyed the process, except for when some customers got a certain… look in their eyes. They could tell I was human and either disregarded me as a lesser or viewed me as their next meal. If it wasn’t for the presence of Nickels, I would have most likely been badgered and harassed. It happened all the time on school grounds when I wasn’t in the presence of Solomon, the angels, or brothers. It made my teeth grind and my shoulders tense. Weeks after arriving at the Devildom, I was still having a hard time adjusting. 

After helping Aminata close up Devhora at 8, I parted ways with my co-workers and made my way back to the House of Lamentation. Although tired and hungry, I knew that I needed to check on Luke first before I did anything else. 

_ I’ve been gone so long,  _ I thought as I walked through the front door.  _ I just hope that nothing happened while I was out.  _ I felt and heard my stomach growl.  _ I better hurry because I am so so so hungry. Working a late shift is going to suck, I’ll need a snack to get me through.  _ I slipped up one of the stairways without passing anyone and quickly found my way to Beel’s room door. 

“It’s me,” I called out as I knocked. “I’m coming in.” I slowly opened the door out of caution and stepped in. 

“Claudia!” Luke yelled with bright eyes and ran up to me. “You’re finally back!” He hugged me. 

“Hey Luke,” I mumbled back and yawned. “Where’s Beel at?” The Avatar of Gluttony was nowhere in sight. I bumped the door closed with my hip and I moved to the couch and flopped down on it. 

“The kitchen,” Luke moved to sit down next to me. “He told me that he went to get a snack,” he huffed, “He really can’t control his urge to eat.” 

“The kitchen, huh?” I set down the school briefcase that I had been carrying and pulled on my D.D.D. “I wonder if he would be willing to heat up the dinner that I missed and bring it up here.” I pulled up the messaging app and tapped away with one hand while the other patted Luke’s head. 

Me:  _ Hey Beel, are you still in the kitchen? _

Beelzebub:  _ Yeah.  _

Beelzebub:  _ Are you back from your job?  _

Me:  _ Yeah, I’m in your room right now. Hey, if you don’t mind, could you please warm up my dinner and bring it to me? I’m keeping an eye on Luke. _

“Hey!” Luke whined, he was reading our conversation. “I can look out for myself!” 

“I know,” I smiled. “But I need an excuse for my laziness,” I laughed a little. I felt my phone buzz and looked back down. 

Beelzebub:  _ Sure, I don’t mind. I’ll see you in a few.  _

Me:  _ Thank you! :) _

I placed my phone next to me and looked back at Luke. I decided to strike up a conversation. I thought Luke and I could be good friends, and I wanted to make that a reality. 

“So, what did you do all day to keep yourself distracted?” Luke adjusted himself upon his knees and facing Beel’s bed. On top of it were my Switch and a few of the treasured books that I had brought along. 

“I played some video games and read like you said but I was still so bored,” he moaned as he turned back towards me. “But it’s better than having to face Simeon,” his face got all red with frustration. 

_ But you can only hide and ignore your problems for so long, Luke,  _ I solemnly thought. 

“That’s a shame,” I smiled. “Hey Luke,” I paused a moment, thinking that as an angel, and an old one at that, that he would have information about the demon brothers that I could otherwise not easily obtain. “I know you have a disdain for demons, but you must know a lot about the brothers that live here. Can you tell me about them?” I quietly asked. I reasoned that it would be a few minutes until Beel arrived. 

“I guess, but why?” He glanced over curiously. 

“I just want a better understanding of my housemates,” I replied, not really lying yet not giving him the whole truth. Luke took a moment to decide on what he should say before speaking. 

“So, you’ve heard the story about Lucifer and his brothers, right? They used to be angels… Well,” he admitted, “all except for Satan.” 

“I know that they used to be angels yes,” I responded as I adjusted my position on the couch to face Luke better. I grabbed a pillow and hugged it tightly to my chest. I could be compared to a small child eager to hear a bedtime story. 

“It was a long, long time ago,” Luke went on. “So long ago that you humans couldn’t even imagine how far back it was. Back then,” Luke’s face lit up with what I assumed to either be pride or admiration as he continued to talk. “Lucifer was the strongest and most beautiful of all the angels. He had six pure white wings, and light radiated from them… “ 

“Wow,” I mumbled almost dreamily. Personally, I couldn’t imagine Lucifer looking any better than he already did. He scared me, of course, but also charmed me with his sophistication and elegance. 

“Now,” Luke said in a hushed voice as he narrowed his eyes. “Keep this between us, all right?” I nodded with wide eyes. “You absolutely can’t tell anyone else, understand? Not Beelzebub or any of his brothers, either. But back then,” Luke blushed timidly, “I admired Lucifer even more than Michael and it wasn’t just me. Other angels felt the same way. I think everyone did, hehe,” Luke giggled. “Remember, this is our little secret, okay?” 

“Okay,” I smiled at the angel. “I promise that I won’t say a word.” The door suddenly opened and Beel walked in with thankfully, my plate of food that I missed out on earlier, and a panicked expression. Luke and I both twitched a little, startled. 

“D’AAAH!” Luke gasped and held his hand up to his heart. “Y-You scared me!” 

“Me too,” I admitted. “I was definitely a little startled,” I frowned. “Is everything alright?” Luke huffed and crossed his arms. 

“Beelzebub-!” Luke seems unbothered by my question. “At least knock before coming in! Sure, this is your room, but right now it’s my room too-!” 

“We’re in big trouble,” Beel cut Luke off as he slammed the door behind him and approached us. He handed me my plate with a serious expression. “You’re about to be found out.” 

“...Huh?” Luke didn’t understand how and neither did I. Sure, we weren’t the most discreet, but we hadn’t caused any trouble… yet. 

“We’re having a surprise inspection. Now.” 

I felt my breath hitch and I looked at Luke with wide eyes. This, this was definitely not good. 

“A surprise inspection? What do you mean?” Luke asked in disbelief but I fully understood what was going to happen. Lucifer was going to be at our doorstep any moment now. 

“I mean exactly what I said,” Beel stated. “ Lucifer shows up unannounced and goes around checking each room to see if anyone is out past curfew.”

“Oh,” Luke gasped. 

“Isn’t it rather early for that?” I asked in a hushed tone. “It’s only around 20 minutes until 9.”  _ He must want to catch whatever we have hidden in here,  _ I reasoned.  _ It’s been three days, and I’m sure Lucifer is tired of our “games.”  _

“But it’s okay, right?” Luke laughed. He wasn’t as nearly as scared as Beel and I was. “All I have to do is hide, right? Maybe under the bed or behind the curtains-” Beel sharply cut him off. 

“Oh no,” he shook his head, “You’ll have to do WAY better than that. Lucifer does more than check to see if everyone’s in their rooms. He also searches the inside of the room itself. Asmodeus had a witch that he’d brought back home one night in his room,” he went on, “She transformed into a spider and hid, but Lucifer still found her.” I felt a shiver go down my back. 

“So we’re screwed,” I sighed as I ran a hand through my hair. 

“Wha?!” Luke gasped at Beel’s story. “Why does he have to go to such lengths? We didn’t have anything like that at Purgatory Hall!” 

_ That’s because you don’t have Lucifer living with you, Luke,  _ I thought as I spoke my head with closed eyes. Life really was planning on not giving me a break. 

“That’s because you don’t have Lucifer living with you at Purgatory Hall,” Beel explained. It was as if he read my mind. 

“That’s what I was thinking!” I tried to smile as I stood up and set my plate down. I couldn’t eat yet, not with all of the anxiety and dread that was filling me. 

“That’s because you know what it’s like to live with him,” Beel pointed out and I nodded. I clearly understood how strictly Lucifer ran the house. It was like a well-oiled machine. “ He originally started doing it because Mammn kept sneaking out after curfew and coming home late,” Beel explained to the naive angel. “And he’d hide stacks of unpaid bills in his room so no one could find them.” 

_ Curse you Mammon!  _ I moaned to myself.  _ You are so cute,  _ I thought about the  _ Devil Style  _ magazine that I had bought that night and was safely tucked away in my briefcase.  _ But why must your sin affect us now? _

“Ugh,” Luke groaned with puffed up cheeks. “Mammon, that IDIOT!” 

“There will be time to blame Mammon later,” Beel said as he stormed towards his closet. “Right now you need to hide,” Beel opened it up and turned to face Luke. “Get inside the closet.” 

“What’s the point of me hiding in the closet?” Luke sighed. “I mean, you said he even found a witch that had transformed herself into a spider, right?!”

“He’s kind of right,” I admitted and pulled Luke up by the hand. “But trying something is sure a hell lot better than doing absolutely nothing.” 

“Exactly,” Beel grunted. “If you keep standing there doing nothing, he’ll find you for sure.” Beel started to hurry towards his door. “I’ll think up some excuse to keep him from looking in there. Now hurry,” he hissed and I helped, well pushed, Luke into the closet and slam it shut. He let out a muffled protest and I shushed him. 

“Sorry, sorry!” I awkwardly laughed, “But please keep quiet!” I rushed back to the couch and sat down and placed my plate in my lap. I was a horrible liar, so it was better to have Beel do the talking while I do the eating. Ironic, huh? It felt like the two of us had switched roles. 

“All right,” The door opened without warning as Lucifer stepped in. My eyes widened but I forced my gaze on my plate and shoved my mouth with food. “Inspection time.” He silently looked around the room and his eyes landed on my soft one. They only met for a second, but I felt like I got lost in his sparkling orbs for an eternity. “Beel, Claudia,” he nodded as he flickered his gaze away. “I see you’re both here.” I nodded mutely and slowly swallowed the food in my mouth. “I’m going to have a look through your room to be certain everything's in order here,” Lucifer curtly explained. “But before I do,” he gave the two of us a condescending glare, “Is there anything you’d like to tell me?” His voice was full of darkness and I felt my hands become shaky. 

_ I can’t lie, I can’t lie, I can’t lie- even if I was a good liar, I know that Lucifer would see right through me… It’s like his superpower. I need to be careful about my next words-! _

“Woof!” I blurted out. 

_...What the fuck?  _ I gasped at myself and blushed.  _ What am I???? A toddler?  _

“...I see,” Lucifer smirked as he smugly crossed his arms. “I heard a rumor that Beel has been keeping some sort of dog or a cat in here. But from that little “woof” you just made now, Claudia,” I felt my lip tremble in embarrassment and almost giggled at his little “woof!” “I take it that you’re trying to say that there’s no pet at all-” 

_ I’ve ruined everything, he knows!  _

“-It was you all along,” he purred and I felt his voice stab me through the heart. I felt fluttery and, I would never admit it to anyone, but slightly turned on. 

_ Woah.  _

“Beel,” Lucifer commanded. “Open up the closet.” 

_ W- FUCK,  _ I hissed to myself. That was it. At that moment I accepted defeat but it wasn’t as if I had any faith to begin with. I felt shame and guilt twist in my chest. I wasn’t able to help Luke deal with his feelings and I was about to get Beel in serious trouble. If anyone should get in trouble, it should be me! I was the one who couldn’t say no and I was the one that pleaded with Beel to allow him to stay. 

“There’s nothing in there but Belphie’s clothes-” Beel started to weakly protest before Lucifer stopped him.

“Didn’t you hear me?” He snapped with vigor. “Open it.” Unable to stand against his older brother, Beel slowly dragged himself to the closet and I winced as I waited to see Luke’s poor and frightened face but… 

Luke was nowhere to be seen. 

“Well,” Lucifer slowly turned around and I put on a poker face to hide my shock. “It seems you really aren’t hiding a puppy in here. I guess it was only a rumor then,” he casually flung the door closed and adjusted his tight gloves. “All right, that wraps up my inspection,” he declared. “Both of you make sure to go to bed early.” And without another word, Lucifer briskly walked out of the bedroom. Silence washed over the room as Beel and I blankly stared at each other, scarcely believing what just took place. 

“Luke disappeared,” Beel shook his head in disbelief and walked over to open the closet again to make sure his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him. “Weird,” he mumbled. “I know that we pushed him into the closet a minute ago. What’s going on?”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” I threw my hands up in defeat. “This is insane. I was prepared to attend Luke’s funeral. This is bad, really, really bad,” I groaned and covered my face with my hands. 

_ I’m thankful that Lucifer didn’t find him, but now anything could be possible, especially here. Couldn’t anything happen in a world full of demons and magic? Oh Luke, where are you?  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	19. Chapter 19: Do Demons Make Sacrifices?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke is still missing, causing Claudia's and Beel's stress levels to rise. Finding him seems impossible and during their attempt to find the young angel, the two share a vulnerable moment that is quickly interrupted.

“This is bad, really bad…” I let out a pained sigh as I picked at my nails. 

“Luke never did come back last night,” Beel muttered with an expression full of regret and guilt. The two of us, Beel and I, were sitting in our shared Demon Literature class together. The professor of our class was fiddling with his computer to pull up a presentation so we had a few minutes to chat among ourselves. I found it amusing that even hundred-year-old demons with all of their “vast wisdom” could struggle with technology like some elder who can hardly work their smartphone. However, if I found it amusing that my droning and stern professor was so technology handicapped, it did nothing to aid my sour mood. Luke was missing and he had been missing for the past several hours. How could I do anything but think the worst happened? 

“You saw it too, right Claudia?” Beel weakly asked me. “You saw us push him into the closet. So then why did he just va-”

Beel was cut off by the sudden entrance of the last angel we wanted to see right now: Simeon. I felt the color drain from my face. 

“Well hello, Beel, Claudia,” Simeon smiled at us. The graceful celestial being had entered the lecture hall pushing a cart full of paper. “Good to see you.”

“Simeon, heeey,” I attempted to greet the angel casually. I assumed that I miserably failed. “What are you doing here?” I drummed my fingers against the wooden desk I was sitting behind. “I would know if we had this class together,” I smiled. I liked Simeon a lot and I could tell the feeling was mutual, however, at that moment, I wanted to run and hide. Losing Luke made me feel like I had failed Simeon somehow. 

“I’m just making some deliveries for the front office,” he responded. “I work as an office aid. Hey,” his expression softened. “You two are looking at Luke, right? I hope he isn’t causing you too much trouble.”

_ Trouble, sure, let’s call it that…  _ I thought as the guilt grew in my chest. I shared a quick and private look with Beel. He was as empathic as me, and I could see that the situation was eating away at him, just like his limitless hunger. Simeon sighed and tensed up his forehead as he continued to speak. 

“I’m sorry you had to get caught up in our private squabble,” Simeon sounded very sincere with his apology. “I tried to stop him before he could run off,” the angel explained, “But Luke is just too quick, I’m afraid. I’d appreciate it if you could take care of him until he’s ready to come back again,” Simeon smiled the brightest and most heartfelt smile I had ever witnessed before. “Thank you both.” Beel remained silent as I glanced back at him. 

“Ahaha, you’re welcome,” I wheezed out. Simeon leaned against the cart casually. I trailed my attention over to our professor. 

_ You’ve got to be kidding me, _ I almost groaned.  _ He is still trying to find his presentation? I just want this conversation to end!  _

“Luke can be a real handful,” Simeon shook his head as he spoke about his fellow angel. “He’s still young and immature as angels go, and he knows little of the world, so he tends to judge everything in life from the perspective of someone in the Celestial Realm, using its logic.” 

“I can see that,” I nodded, trying to relax my body. My shoulders were especially becoming tense. My efforts weren’t exactly successful. “I’ve noticed that Luke is very black and white about morality.” 

“Yes that’s true,” Simeon softly smiled, “Though that’s also one of the positive things about Luke. He’s honest, genuine, and he adheres to a strict set of values that he doesn’t break.”

“Yeah, he sure is all of those things,” I nodded along to Simeon’s words. 

“When the two of us were originally chosen for the exchange program in the Devildom,” he explained, “He was extremely upset and depressed. It was hard for him.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” I admitted and I didn’t blame Luke. I was in shock and angry when I woke up in the Devildom. I didn’t and still don’t remember how I got there and why I was picked as an exchange student. When I try to think back as to how I ended up in the Devildom as a student, my mind draws to a blank. 

_ It’s almost as if I am suffering from memory loss, but that couldn’t be it, right? I have a fairly good memory and I have never suffered any head trauma that would lead to memory loss.  _

“But personally,” Simeon laughed a little, his deep blue eyes twinkling. “I thought that studying in the Devildom would be a good opportunity for Luke. Here, Luke is able to come in contact with demons as well as human students like you, Claudia. It’s a chance for him to expand his perspective.” I agreed with Simeon’s words, he was completely right. Even if I originally was against being a RAD student, I could never deny the fact that I was experiencing a unique opportunity that was unlike any other. I was doing the impossible. “And on top of that,” Simeon went on, “It’s my hope that he’ll be able to grow as an angel as well.”

“I’m guessing Micheal must have felt the same way,” Simeon respectfully mused. “Which is why he chose Luke for this program, though Luke himself hasn’t figured that out.”

“Really?” I whispered back as if I had just discovered a dirty secret with a raised eyebrow. “Why not tell him?”

_ To find out that his idol chose him for the exchange program, that would certainly change Luke’s perspective.  _

“I believe this is true in the human world too, but some supervisors like to teach the people they lead directly- to give them the answers they need. But other supervisors like to make those they lead think for themselves and have them figure things out on their own,” Simeon explained.

“I assume that you are the latter?” I asked, seeing where Simeon was going with this. 

“That’s right,” he nodded. “I like to sit back and watch Luke find the answer on his own.”

“You want him to have a mind of his own,” I tapped a finger on the side of my head as I spoke. “It’s harder and a longer process to endure, but you grow the most from it.” I smiled with a newfound respect for Simeon. “You’re a good teacher, Simeon.”

“Thank you, though,” he lightly laughed with a little sadness tingling in his voice. “I’m not sure if Luke would agree with you.”

“Aha!” I shot my attention over to my professor who finally had his presentation pulled up on his projector. “Finally,” he hissed. 

_ Yes, finally.  _ I felt my eye twitch.  _ Congrats, Boomer… Well, okay, he’s a few hundred years older than any Boomer, but he is sure acting like one right now.  _

“If you find yourself unable to put up with him anymore,” I turned my attention back to Simeon's words. He was slowly pulling the cart towards the front of the lecture hall. “Go ahead and kick him out. I’m sure he’ll come back to me if he has no place else to go.” He turned his glare back to me as he walked. “Well then, I better make my deliveries.” He held a hand up in a wave. “I’ll be seeing you.” 

I silently watched Simeon walk up to the professor and hand him a stack of papers. I didn’t pay attention to their words. I felt like I was trapped underwater and watching something going on up at the surface. I was drowning in my own thoughts. 

_ I should have told Simeon about Luke, shouldn’t I?  _ I felt my hands cover my face in defeat.  _ Ugh, this is the worst. I need to find Luke, fast. He’s my responsibility.  _

As if he could read my thoughts, Beel finally spoke up. 

“We’d better track down Luke ASAP.”

“That’s just what I was thinking,” I weakly smiled at the demon. I appreciated that Beel was also taking responsibility for Luke’s wellbeing. He could have just decided to exclude himself from the affair as soon as Luke went missing and left me alone to deal with the consequences of my actions. Instead, he was sticking by my side. I found it very noble. “We’ll find him,” I placed my hand on Beel’s shoulder as I became very serious. 

_ Because if we don’t, the alternative won’t be very pretty at all.  _

As soon as our day at RAD ended, Beel and I rushed back to the House of Lamentation. I was extremely lucky that I could spare the time to look for Luke right away because usually, I would head straight to the dance studio to work on building my resistance to demons. In a stroke of pure coincidence, Lucifer had canceled our scheduled dance session. 

_ I have never been so happy to not dance before,  _ I thought to myself with a little amusement as I climbed up the stairs that led to the third floor. I sighed and slumped my shoulders.  _ But I don’t know if it really mattered. I searched the entire second floor, well as much as I could, and couldn’t find Luke anywhere. He has to still be in the house, right? Where else could he possibly be?  _

I entered the third floor to see Beel looking around in the hallway. He turned towards me with a hopeful expression but it instantly switched to a dejected one the moment he noticed my body language. 

“From the look on your face, I’m guessing he wasn’t anywhere on the second floor either, huh?” He asked as I approached him. 

“Nope.” 

“I figured as much,” he shrugged with a frown. “Although honestly, it really isn’t possible to swatch all of the second floor since my brothers’ rooms comprise most of it. Well,” he brought his hands close to his stomach. “I didn’t find him either. I looked all over the first floor but I didn’t see him anywhere. We should try one more time,” he decided with desperation. “This time you look on the first floor, Claudia, and I’ll search the sec-”

“So,” a sharp voice interrupted us and we turned to see Satan leaning up against the wall nearby with his arms crossed. I felt a shiver go up my back. Just how much had he heard? “You’re looking for something, are you?” He narrowed his eyes as he pushed himself from the wall and prowled towards us. “What are you two whispering about?” 

“I don’t know what you mean,” Beel nervously shoved his hands in his pockets. “We’re not whispering.” 

“Oh yes you are,” Satan smugly grinned at us as he spoke. “And you’d better give me the truth or I might have to go tell Lucifer about this.” I narrowed my eyes, annoyed by such a petty threat. I carefully looked over at Beel. He knew his mysterious brother much better than I so I decided to let him handle the situation. Out of all the brothers, I interacted with Satan the least. I found it a shame, after all, we seemed to be similar in a lot of ways. I always saw him hunched over a book during the day, we both took our studies very seriously, and I swore that once I saw him watch cat videos on his D.D.D. but I might have just been seeing things. It was a shame, I would have loved to find another cat lover in the Devildom. 

“We’re looking for a dog,” Beel made sure to stress the “dog” part, “Named Luke.”

“So, you really are hiding a dog in your room then,” Satan smirked. “I did think it was awfully strange that you didn’t finish your breakfast,” he told his ravenous brother. “I won’t say anything to Lucifer about this, but after you’ve had your fun with this dog of yours, you need to get rid of it.” And with that, Satan sharply turned around and paced away. Beel waited for his brother to be out of earshot before speaking.

“Looks like we managed to worm our way out of that somehow, huh…” He whispered. 

“Insane,” I almost laughed. “I can’t believe he didn’t call us out on our bullshit.” 

“We’d better find Luke fast,” Beel hissed. 

“Agreed,” I moaned. “It would be bad if anyone else found Luke before us.”  _ Especially Lucifer,  _ I thought with a shiver.  _ I don’t even want to think what would happen then.  _ My chest buzzed with a flutterly panic. We spent hours searching and I didn’t even notice how long we had been looking until I glanced up at the clock hanging in the entrance hallway. 

“God, it’s already that late?” I commented with a yawn. Beel walked up to my side to see just exactly what time it was. 

“It’s strange that we still haven’t found him even after searching for all this time,” Beel sighed and looked down at me. “If we assume he left the House of Lamentation, then did he go back to Purgatory Hall, or could he have gone somewhere else?” 

“If he went back to Purgatory Hall, Simeon would have noticed,” I explained. “Besides that, I have no idea where else he could have gone. I don’t think he knows that many people here and he considers even less his friends.” 

“Still,” Beel narrowed his eyes. “We definitely hid him in the closet. I know we did. So even if he did go somewhere else, it’s weird that he disappeared while inside the closet. Could Luke actually be somewhere inside of the House of Lamentation?”

“Hm,” I paused in concentration as I brought my hand up in my lip. I found myself staring off into space at a dollhouse near the entrance. The entrance was always a little quirky, with several painted portraits of strangers I didn’t recognize, two swirling stairways that lead up to the second floor, and looming twin gargoyle statues that faced each other. 

_ Wait a minute, is that what I think it is?  _ I wandered up to the dollhouse and studied it carefully. I had always known that it was there, but I never had paid much attention to it.  _ I knew it, it’s an architectural model of the House of Lamentation. Architects sometimes make 3D scale models of their creations and that’s what this must be. It looks completely up to scale too,  _ I thought with fascination as I slowly circled it.

“What are you…?” Beel started to ask as he walked up to me. 

“This model,” I spoke up before he could finish. “Look here,” I pointed at a room I was unfamiliar with. “There’s a room here I haven’t seen before. Where is it?” 

“That’s strange,” Beel squirted at the room I had pointed to. “That room doesn’t exist.” 

“Doesn’t exist?” I snorted in disbelief. “What do you mean that room doesn’t exist? It has to.” I hummed as I trace my fingers along the frames of the levels. “Come on, let’s go check the second floor. That’s where it has to be.” Beel attempted to protest but I was already storming off. 

When we arrived at where the room must be, we were meant with a blank wall. 

“...See?” Beel sighed as he glanced down at me. “There’s nothing here. It’s just a wall. But the dollhouse,” he muttered, conflicted, “It definitely showed a small room here. There’s no door though and if I remember correctly, the only thing that should be on the other side of this wall is Lucifer’s room. Could the dollhouse model be wrong…?”

“No way,” I brought up. “Lucifer would never have an incorrect model of this house but yet, your memory doesn’t fail you.” I smiled up at him with a newfound energy. “The room on the other side of this wall is a secret room.” Beel didn’t say anything for a moment, contemplating our conundrum. 

“Take a look at this, Claudia,” Beel nudged me before stepping up to the wall. “Look at this spot on the wall.” He pointed towards a part of the wallpaper, which on closer inspection, appeared faintly different. “It looks like a decorative pattern, but I can make out words written there.”

“It’s words?” I titled my head as I studied the font. “I don’t recognize the language at all.” 

“It’s a message written in the language of angels,” Beel softly explained. “This is what it says: ‘When the morning star dwelt in the heavens its light shone down upon this one, sparkling brilliantly, eighth of the eight’.”

“How beautiful but strange,” I hummed. The words moved me and I felt rather bittersweet. Why did I connect to these words? They should have meant nothing to me.

“It’s a riddle,” Beel frowned. “And more importantly, I know the answer to it.” 

“Really? Well, then okay Bilbo Baggins,” I joked, “Then hit me with it.”

“‘The morning star’ is another name for Lucifer,” Beel explained with a light grin. I detected a sense of pride in his voice. “So ‘when the morning star dwelt in the heavens’ means ‘when Lucifer was an angel.’ ‘Its light shone down upon this one, sparkling brilliantly, the eighth of the eight.’ That part refers to someone Lucifer loved deeply: the eighth child of eight, our sister.”

“Lilith,” I blurted, and then suddenly a door appeared before us. Beel and I shared a look before we glanced at the door with anticipation. It appeared to look like many of the other doors in the House of Lamentation with a dark oak wood poolish and a gothic door handle yet the allure of mystery made my heart beat out of my chest. 

“Let’s go,” Beel said without hesitation and full of determination as he grabbed the door handle and swung the door open. Unable to peer over his large form, all I could see was light coming from the room. Beel gasped, his hands flexed into fists, and then slowly relaxed as he cautiously stepped into the room. 

“Beel?” I quietly called out to him as I hurried over and slipped into the room with him.

“I… I know this place…” Beel seemed shook to his very core by the room we were standing in. I slowly took in my surroundings, surprised myself. 

_ This room is unlike any that I would expect in this house…  _

Beel and I were standing in an untouched room that I deducted was a bedroom. Paintings hung on the pastel green walls in golden frames. All of the furniture was covered in sheets, untouched but not horribly dusty. The only light source in the room was the natural light that came through the window. I stepped up to a window and held my hand out. It was warm, just like the sun. I hadn’t seen the sun in weeks. 

“It’s Lilith’s room from back up in the Celestial Realm,” Beel whispered, “I’m sure of it. What’s Lilith’s room doing here, in the House of Lamentation?” He asked the question more to himself than me. 

_ This is Lilith’s room?  _ I turned my gaze to Beel, my heart full of pity and sympathy. Loss wasn’t easy, no matter how long ago it was. 

“Beel,” I softly called out as I reached out to him. “I’d like to know more about Lilith.” I was unsure if Beel was ready to talk about Lilith, but whenever he was, I knew that I would be there for him. 

“Like I said before,” Beel slowly traced a finger along the frame of a chair that was hidden beneath a sheet. “Lilith was our little sister… but she’s gone now.” I could see tears sting at the corners of his eyes. “She died in the Great Celestial War. Do you know about the Great Celestial War?” He asked as I hugged onto his arm. “About what happened then?”

“I know that you, Lucifer, and your other brothers rebelled and then fell from grace, but besides that, I don’t know much.” 

“You’re right, but the story is more complicated than that,” he grunted. “Lucifer incited the revolution against our father, and we aligned ourselves with him, Those who followed our father fought against those who followed Lucifer. That,” Beel explained, “Was the Great Celestial War. In the end,” Beel’s gaze pulled away from mine as he spoke, “Our father crushed our rebellion, and cast us out of the Celestial Realm. During the battle,” I heard Beel lightly choke on his breath, “My sister Lilith’s wing was pierced by an arrow. Both Belphine and I saw it. It happened right in front of our eyes… She fell down out of the heavens and… died.” I felt the room grow cold. “Just,” Beel brought a shaking hand to his face, “Before Lilith was shot, I saw angels from the opposing side draw their bows and aim at both her and Belphine. I couldn’t save them both,” Beel spat out. “The three of us were too far apart. I knew that I’d only be able to get to one of them in time. Then suddenly, Belphine’s eyes met mine,” I imagined the chilling scene in my mind, the pleading eyes of Belphegor, the fall of Lilith… 

“And just like that,” Beel went on, “I rushed over to him and shielded him from the attack. I wasn’t able to save Lilith,” he whimpered. “She died. And it was my fault.”

“Beel!” I gasped with wide and watering eyes. “You did nothing wrong.”

“Everyone tells me that,” He mumbled. “‘You couldn’t help it,’ that’s what they all say… But none of them saw what I saw. They didn’t see how Lilith looked at me as the arrow pierced her wing in the split second before she fell,” I slowly let go of his arm as he moved to stare out at the illusion of light that came from the window’s that lined Lilith’s walls. “They didn’t see that look of despair.” I felt my knees grow weak at Beel’s words. “Belphine hasn’t come out and said it, but I think he blames me for not being able to save Lilith. I know he wanted me to save her instead of him,” Beel’s voice was full of sorrow and self-loathing. “In fact, I knew that at the time, but I chose to save him instead. Claudia,” He whispered my name like he was a sick man begging for water. “What would you have done?” His deep and sad eyes met my wide ones. “If you had been in my shoes, who would you have saved, Belphegor or Lilith?”

“Man,” I let out a pained laugh. “That’s definitely not an easy question. Um,” I looked down at my feet for a moment, thinking.  _ I don’t know but… I want to think that Lilith would want Beel to save Belphegor… but why would I think something like that? I don’t know her. I don’t know her thoughts.  _ “Before I answer,” I said slowly, still mulling over the question. “I want you to know that no matter what you did Beel, you just tried to do the right thing, and if you saved Lilith instead of Belphegor, you would still feel the effects of grief and regret. There’s no right answer, but I think…” I took a deep breath,” I think that I would have saved Belphegor as well if I were you. And I-”

I paused as I felt the vibration of my D.D.D. 

“Oh great,” I huffed and pulled it out. “I’m sorry, please hold on,” I flashed Beel a sympathetic smile before checking the caller ID. 

_ Mammon? _ I answered my phone and pulled it up to my ear. 

“H-” I started but was quickly interrupted by a panicking Mammon. 

“HEY!” He yelled in relief. “Claudia, where are you?! Something seriously bad is about to happen here! Get your butt down to the underground tomb now!” He commanded. “Hurry! The dog is down here, and Lucifer’s about to kill him…!”

“Dog? Oh, fuck!” I gasped as realization hit me like a semi-truck. “We’re coming!” I quickly hung up and shoved my phone in my pocket. “Shit, shit!” I hissed as I hurried out of the hidden room. 

“The dog?” Beel yelled out as he jogged behind me. “Does he mean Luke?” He must have been able to hear Mammon’s nervous yelling during our conversation. 

“He’s got to!” I yelled back. “Beel, I don’t know where the underground tomb is, but you do, right?” 

“Right,” he grunted and pushed ahead of me. “Just follow me!” 

“Lucifer, come one!” Mammon yelled with frustration at his older (and extremely scary) brother. Beel and I had arrived before, thankfully, anything fatal had happened. However, I was a bundle of jittery nerves. Shit had hit the fan, and I knew that whatever happened, it wouldn’t be good. “Calm down a little, would ya?! He’s just a lost dog, that’s all!” Mammon argued. “There’s no need to go revealing your true form over this, now is there?!” 

By true form, I assumed that Mammon meant Lucifer’s demon form. Although I found Lucifer’s form to be rather beautiful with his dark raven wings and polished horns, he was rather terrifying as he loomed over the shivering Luke. 

“R-R-Right,” Luke whimpered, “E-Exactly! A-And if you th-think you’re gonna s-scare me looking all evil like that, y-you’re wrong! It w-w-won’t work!” Poor Luke, no matter how brave he attempted to act, it was clear that he was scared out of his mind and I honestly couldn’t blame him. The poor dear was trembling like a wet dog and he seemed to be clutching onto some heavy and ancient tome that I didn’t recognize. “I-I’ll have you know that I r-report directly to Michael the Archangel, one of the g-greatest-”

“Luke,” Lucifer snapped. “That book you’ve got in your hand… Do you realize what that is?” He growled with maleficence. I gulped. 

_ So the book’s the problem and not the presence of Luke. That book must be awfully important for Lucifer to act like this. Gosh, whatever happens next, I know that I will have to step in before things get worse!  _ I thought with desperation. 

“Y-You mean this…?” Luke asked, a little puzzled. He held out the heavy tome in front of him. “I found this a minute ago. The sculpture on the stone coffin there was holding it…”

“I know that book,” Beel gasped once he got a good look at it. Mammon turned around to see us and rushed towards us in relief. 

“FINALLY! Claudia, Beel, you’re here!” His relief turned to frustration as he yelled. “IT TOOK YA LONG ENOUGH!” 

“I came here as soon as I could!” I whined back. “Beel,” I glanced up at him, feeling rushed. “Please explain to me what that book is and why Lucifer is losing his shit over it!”

“That’s a grimoire,” Beel explained.

“WHAT?!” Mammon screeched loud enough that his voice echoed throughout the tall underground tome. I flinched and wildly looked around as his voice bounced against the stone walls. Now that I was looking around, I was able to get a clear look at the tomb I was in. I had never been down here before and frankly, I didn’t even know of its existence. Apparently Lucifer decided to leave it out of the house tour when he was showing me around. The dark and tall underground lair was only lit by scattered and dim candles that littered the floor and wall. At the far end, I could see an isolated and treasured tomb but besides that, I could not make out any of its details or who it was for. It was unimportant at the moment anyway. 

Luke gasped, hearing what Beel had said. I looked between everyone’s shocked expressions. 

“Woah, hold on,” I held my hands out, “I can assume, but can someone please tell me what a grimoire is?”

“A grimoire is a book of magic,” Beel quickly explained, probably feeling rushed by the risky situation at hand. “Several of them exist. The grimoire Luke is holding has the power to control a demon- to make him do anything, even if it’s in violation of a pact.”

“How dangerous,” I felt myself shiver in fear. The endless possibilities of such magic were horrifying. 

“Everything that we are rides on that book,” Beel stressed. “We can never allow it to be stolen under any circumstances. I didn’t realize Lucifer was hiding it here in the underground tomb.”

“This is no time to be standing around lost in thought, Beel!” Mammon shouted with exasperation as he shook his brother’s arm. “Get with the program!” He sharply turned to the cowardly Luke. “Now listen up, dog! What I wanna know is how you ended up lost in a place like this! No one else but us has access to this place, so how’d you get here?!”

“I-I don’t know!” The angel whined back. “Y-Your guess is as good as mine! I tumbled down out of the closet in Beelzebub’s room and found myself here!” Luke babbled and I felt myself winch. 

_ Uh-oh. _

“And then-” Luke was quickly cut off by Lucifer’s booming voice.

“Wait,” he snapped as his eyes widened. “Beelzebub’s room…? Did I hear that correctly? Did you just say the words Beelzebub’s room?” Lucifer’s voice was becoming more unsteady and threatened to turn into a raging roar. 

“Uh-oh, this is bad…!” Mammon softly yelped as he backed up.

“ **BEELZEBUB!** ” Lucifer roared and I felt the ground beneath us begin to shake. I let out a gasp as I struggled to keep my balance against the unstable stone flooring. “Were you hiding this angel in your room?” Lucifer growled as he narrowed his eyes at Beel. “Did you allow him access to the House of Lamentation? This angel who would try to steal that grimoire?”

“Y-You’ve got it all wrong!” Luke, perhaps foolishly, squeaked out. “I wasn’t trying to steal it at-” 

“Hey, idiot!” Mammon yelled over the roar of the shaking earth beneath us. “This ain’t no time to be makin’ excuses! Once Lucifer flips out, it’s no use tryin’ to stop him! I mean,” he rambled, “There’s one guy who could do it, but-”

“You two had better be ready to face the consequences!” Lucifer snapped at the wide-eyed and silent Beel and the shivering Luke. 

_ This is all my fault. This is all my fault!  _ Everything seemed to move in slow motion as I allowed my instincts to take over.  _ I allowed Luke to come over to the House of Lamentation, I begged Beel to allow Luke to stay, and hell, I’m the one that is causing a bunch of problems all because I want to make pacts with everyone so that Lucifer and Belphegor can make up.  _

“No!” I heard myself yell as I jumped in front of Luke and Beel, my arms stretched out as far as I could. I tried to keep my pose tough and full of confidence, but I could feel my legs shake and my eyes water. 

“Claudia?!” I could hear Mammon yell in panic and shock. I glued my eyes to Lucifer’s enraged ones and refused to look away, no matter how terrified I was. 

“Out of the way, human!” Lucifer hissed. “Or do you want to die here?!” I knew that Lucifer was serious, but at that moment, all I cared about was protecting my friends. 

“No,” my voice was strangely calm as I smiled. I felt burning tears fall down my face and drip down my chin. “I won’t back down, even if it means I might die.”

“Stop it, Claudia!” Beel yelled in desperation but he felt like he was a million miles away instead of just a few feet away. 

“C’mon, this is serious!” Mammon yelled as he desperately grabbed onto my arm. “He’s gonna kill you for real!”

“I am serious.”

“A human risking so much to defend a demon and an angel… How very interesting,” Lucifer sneered. “Well, if you want to be a hero,” he claimed in a rather patronizing manner, “You’re going to have to choose one of them to save. Beelzebub or Luke. It’s one or the other. Make your choice!”

“Bullshit!” I heard myself scream louder than Lucifer. I could see the spit flying from my mouth. I have never been so… so angry before! “I want and will save both of them!”

“Claudia,” I could hear Luke whisper behind me, touched. 

“What’s that now?” Lucifer seemed unhinged by my outbreak. “You want to save both…? Do you actually think I’m going to allow a lowly human that choice?!” The walls surrounding us started to crumble as Lucifer’s rage only became more inflamed. “That you can have whatever it is you WANT?!” Lucifer had completely lost himself to his fury. “NO!” 

I felt myself gasp as a shock wave of energy came forward and pushed me back. I felt a sharp pain sting against the back of my head before

All

Went 

Black. 


	20. Chapter 20: Do Demons Survive the Impossible?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Strange dreams haunt Claudia in her sleep but she is just grateful that she is still alive. Sore and weak after the encounter with Lucifer, Claudia has a heart to heart with Beelzebub.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you haven't noticed, I've gone from uploading every three to four days to updating every week. I'm not by any means growing tired of my story but since I'm a student, I have less time to write now that school has started up again. I'm going to try to keep a regular schedule of updating every Saturday. Anyway, enjoy this chapter, I sure had fun writing it.

_ “An exchange program, with demons?” I laughed so hard that I snorted. “Now you really are sounding crazy.” _

_ “I know,” I got a smile that matched mine in return. “But it’s the truth, no matter how insane it sounds.” _

_ “How,” I paused for a moment, questions racing through my head. “How do you- I?” I scratched my head, still confused. “You,” I decided on, “Know about this?”  _

_ “I watched over the Devildom for years and I know Lucifer, he will be drawn to you.”  _

_ “Lucifer, wow,” I shook my head. “The Lucifer?” _

_ “Exactly. If you don’t want to go to the Devildom for yourself, could you go for them? They are suffering and they have for a long time.”  _

_ “Suffering? But what can I do?” I fiddled with my hands. “I like helping people, but not when it’s impossible.” _

_ “I know you can.” _

_ “I guess I should trust you, after all, you know what you are talking about.”  _

_ “More like you know what you are talking about,” a tease.  _

_ “Haha,” I wrinkled up my forehead. “I’m still wrapping my head around all of this. I don’t want to believe you, but hell, how can I ignore you- me- ah, see? It’s confusing.” I laughed until it faded away into silence.  _

_ A pause.  _

_ “Will you help them?” _

_ I hesitated before speaking. _

_ “Will they even accept my help?” _

_ A laugh echoed like a thousand chiming bells. _

_ “Not at first, but I know they will one day. They’re so stubborn. Well, stubborn is an understatement, haha.” _

_ “...Fine, I want to help.” _

_ A contract was handed to me. _

_ “Make sure you pack everything you need, this will be a long journey. When you’re ready, just sign your name on the contract.”  _

_ “This is insane-” _

_ “Or perhaps a miracle?” I was interrupted with a smile. _

_ “Yeah, a miracle.”  _

“...Claudia…”

“...Come back to me, Claudia.”

_ Huh? _

I groggily opened my eyes and blinked for a few seconds, regaining my senses. 

_ I’m alive.  _

“Claudia!” Beel grasped onto my hand and I looked over at him with a weak smile. “You’re awake.” He beamed. “I’ve been here watching you,” his voice became softer and sad as he stroked my small hand with his thumb. “I thought you might never wake up since humans are so fragile and all. I’m really glad you’re awake again.”

“Ugh,” I groaned as I sat up. My entire body felt sore. “Hey, I may look weak, but I’m a survivor.” I placed my hand over Beel’s. “Thank you for being here with me. Honestly,” I winched a little, my head pounding. “I’m surprised that I’m alive as well.” 

“Do you remember what happened?” Beel asked me. “You made Lucifer really mad when you stepped in to protect Luke and me.” I sighed in return.

“Oh trust me, I could never forget that,” I was more annoyed than scared at the moment. 

_ Arrogant prick,  _ I hissed to myself,  _ how dare he just look down on me as some “little human?” Asshole!  _

“You almost got yourself killed,” Beel stressed to me. “If Lord Diavolo hadn’t come running up, you’d be dead right now. Lord Diavolo managed to stop Lucifer.”

“Holy shit,” I mumbled. I wasn’t sure just how Lord Diavolo knew that I was in trouble, but I knew I would make sure to thank him later. 

“You saw how Lucifer looked back then,” Beel continued speaking, awestruck. “And yet you stepped in front of me and spread your arms to block him. It was like you had a death wish. You need to go to Lord Diavolo and thank him for saving your life.”

“I plan on it, don’t worry,” I let out a small laugh. “Beel, were you hurt?” My laugh turned into a hushed and worried question. 

“No, I wasn’t hurt at all. But,” he frowned and shook his head in disbelief. “Is this really the time to be worrying about me? You almost died, you know.”

“Of course I always have time to worry about you,” I confessed, “I really thought that Lucifer was going to do some serious damage to you.”

“And he would have. A human stepping in to shield a demon from harm,” Beel didn’t sound like he could believe it. “I’ve never ever heard of anything like that before.”

“Really?” I moved to lay back on Beel’s bed. It was just the two of us alone in his room. I made sure to be careful of the pain coursing through my body as I adjusted myself into a more comfortable position. I lightly squeezed Beel’s hand with the one I had rested on his. “I guess I’m just a trendsetter.”

_ But honestly,  _ I thought,  _ it wouldn’t have mattered if Beel was a demon, human, or angel, I still would have protected him. Wait, what about Luke? _

“And Luke?” My eyes widened and I gulped. I feared the worst, especially considering Lucifer’s reaction towards him. “Is he okay?” Beel nodded. 

“Simeon came and took him back to Purgatory Hall. He was pretty shaken up after what he experienced.” 

“Of course he is, I am too,” I admitted. “I’m glad he’s safe,” I smiled, thankful that I was able to truly protect my friends. “I mean, this whole situation was my fault, so I’m glad that I didn’t cause anyone to get hurt. “

“No,” Beel tensed up as he yelled but quickly became quiet. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Luke didn’t do anything wrong- I’m the one to blame here. I’m the one who hid him in my room, I’m the reason he disappeared,” he let out a shaky sigh before continuing. “I’m the one who failed to calm Lucifer down, and ended up putting you in danger… All of that was my-”

“Beel,” I said a little too loudly. “No it wasn’t, it isn’t.” I made sure to glue my eyes to Beel as I spoke. “You seem to have a habit of blaming yourself for problems you can’t always control.” My eyes squinted up as I smiled. “I do too, so I don’t know if I have any right to give you advice, but sometimes you just need to accept a situation without being so regretful. It’s hard and I suck at it, but it’s the only way to stop yourself from being consumed by guilt.” 

“I don’t know if I can do that,” Beel confessed. “When you stepped in to shield me from Lucifer, I was pretty shocked. I mean, why would you go to those lengths?” He seemed so confused. “You’re not a demon or an angel, and you’re not even someone with powerful magic. You’re just a regular human. You did something that I don’t know if I myself could do. I don’t get it, why? Why did you try to project Luke and me?”

“It’s not that complicated,” I laughed. “It was a reflex, but really, when I think back on it, it’s because the two of you are my friends and you’re important to me.” I shrugged. “I mean, I don’t need to be immortal or have fantastical powers to do the right thing, now do I? I wanted to help, so I did.”

“I guess you don’t,” Beel whispered as he smiled down at his lap. “So I’m your friend. Ah…”

_ Wait, are we not friends?  _ I got a little nervous.  _ I guess I’ve never asked. Man, that was a stupid thing to say, wasn’t it?  _ I felt my jaw tense up as I frowned. I didn’t know how Beel saw me and it made me jittery to think about how he might react. 

“As I watched you there sleeping,” he responded slowly, “As I looked at your face, I couldn’t help wondering… If the situation had been reversed, would I have stepped in to protect you?” I gulped. “I want to do something to make it up to you- to thank you for saving me,” Beel told me with sincerity as he gently squeezed my hand. “So, is there anything that I can do?”

“Beel,” I laughed a little. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to repay me in any way, I just did the right thing and that’s that. But,” I hesitated. “I do have one request, but don’t feel pressured by it.” 

_ Okay, I can do this. Just take a deep breath and say it.  _

“I want you to make a pact with me.” I tensed up in anticipation as I waited for Beel’s response. He blinked and leaned forward. 

“So, you’ve made pacts with Mammon and Leviathan, and now you want to make one with me. Why are you so interested in making pacts with demons, huh?” He asked as he narrowed his eyes. “I want to know why you want to make a pact with me. Let’s hear it.” I bit down on my lip as I thought about what to say. 

“I-I’m not asking because I want to be some type of all-powerful person, but because I want to help,” I thought back to Belphegor’s words regarding the door he was trapped behind. I needed the power of all of the demon brothers in order to set him free so that he and Lucifer could resolve their issues. “I want,” I felt my cheeks burn from embarrassment. “I want Lucifer to respect me, if he does, then maybe I can convince him to talk to Belphegor so that they can make up. I don’t know much about the drama between the two of them,” which was true, “But I know that it’s not right for them to be like this. It not only divides them, but it divides everyone. I’m an only child,” I confessed, “So I don’t have the best understanding of sibling relationships, but aren’t siblings supposed to love each other and try to work their problems out no matter how much they fight or disagree?” 

“Huh… Yeah, I guess they are supposed to,” Beel sighed as he leaned back in the chair he was sitting in. “You want Lucifer to be impressed so that he’ll understand that you’re actually someone worth listening to, despite the fact that you’re human? You want to do what even Solomon hasn’t been able to accomplish?”

“I guess I do,” I laughed. “I suppose it’s a little wild, but remember, I told you that I was a trendsetter.” I smiled a little at the Avatar of Gluttony. 

“...All right,” Beel pulled his hand away from mine. “I feel the same way,” he admitted as he stood up. “I want Belphegor and Lucifer to make up, too. So I’ll do it,” His smile matched mine. “I’ll make a pact with you, Claudia.” 

“Really?” I whispered and tried to stand up to hug him but gasped as I felt a burn on my right arm. I grasped it and looked down. A red glowing symbol was now engraved into my arm. 

_ I can never get used to the sensation of a pact mark,  _ I confessed to myself. 

“Careful, I know how weak humans are,” Beel mumbled as he gently pushed me back into his bed. “You need to rest.” 

“Oh my gosh, you gotta be kidding me?!” I heard a muffled female voice gasp from the hallway. “Where’s Lucy? I need to give him a piece of my mind!” The door to the bedroom slammed open as Aminata pushed her way past Asmodeus who seemed to be with her and stepped inside. She had a stern and disappointed expression that immediately melted away the moment she saw me. “Girly!” She squealed as she raced over and tackled me into a hug.

“Eeek!” I gasped in her tight grip. 

“You’re alright!” Aminata wailed. “I didn’t want to lose my favorite employee! Do you know how annoying it is to interview demons and witches??? Spoiler, it’s tots annoying!” 

“Aminata,” Beel called out as he backed away a little. “I didn’t expect to see you here.” 

“Why of course I’m here!” She gasped with a dramatic flair as she let go of me and sat down on Beel’s bed. She wiggled around and made herself at home. 

“Aminata, it’s good to see you but next time how about you not hug me so hard?” I suggested with a giggle. 

“Oh, yikes… oops,” she winched and gave me an apologetic look. “I got so caught up in the moment that I forgot that you were literally tossed around like a rag doll by Lucifer.” 

“That might be only a small exaggeration,” Asmodeus chipped in from his spot in the doorway. “Anyway, the moment I shared the juicy details to Aminata, she told me that she just had to come over. You arrived pretty fast too,” he commented to his witchy friend. “Oh my,” Asmodeus’ peach eyes got wide, “Don’t tell me that you drove here.” 

“I didn’t,” Aminata huffed as she waved her friend’s concerns away. “If I did I would have ended up crashing into the house instead of walking through the front door. I had a friend drive me here.” 

“Really?” A flirty smile graced the lips of the lusty demon as his gaze turned out into the hallway. “Please tell me that your friend is the hunk that is walking down the hallway right now.”

“If he has shaggy brown hair, broad shoulders, and is wearing a tight white shirt, then yup, that’s my friend. If not, then you might have to up your home’s security,” Aminata hummed. 

“Me? An intruder?” I heard Nickels yell and he poked his head into the doorway, smirking. “Never.” 

_ Woah, I didn’t realize Nickels was so fit,  _ I thought as my eyes went a little wide. I was used to the mysterious and smirking demon wearing baggy sweaters or jackets, so to see his fit arms was honestly a shock. For someone who constantly was hunched over a journal writing, I didn’t expect such dedication to fitness. But I decided that I shouldn’t be too surprised as I thought back on the first day of working at Devhora. He carried around heavy boxes like they were as light as feathers. 

“Who is this and why have you hid him from me?” Asmodeus gasped and made sure that he was noticed by my co-worker.

“Oh um,” Nickels straightened up as he cleared his throat. “Hello, sorry let me introduce myself,” he held out a hand to Asmodeus, who gladly took it, and nodded towards Beel. “I’m Nickels, I work with Aminata and apparently act as her personal chauffeurs on my off days.” Aminata stuck her tongue out at him for that personal jab. “But I’m just here to check in on this kid,” Nickels smirked at me and moved to sit next to Aminata. “I can just tell that you are tired, in pain, and thirsty,” he mumbled softly. 

“Read my thoughts, huh?” I sighed with a weak smile. 

“Nope,” he shook his head in return. “When you’re around people enough, you can just tell sometimes. Hey,” he, almost timidly, looked to Beel for help. “You’re Beelzebub, right?” Beel nodded. “Could you get her some water?” He looked down at me. “And can someone get her a wet washcloth? We don’t want her to burn up with a fever.” He leaned over and felt my forehead. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you had one.” 

“Water, right,” Beel nodded with wide eyes and moved to leave. He cautiously looked back at me with a concerned expression. 

“Oh, I guess I’ll help out,” Asmodeus shrugged and tailed along after Beel. “I do love a man that takes charge!” The room became quieter with just the three of us and for a few moments, no one seemed sure what to say.

“Demons,” Nickels deeply sighed as he ran a hand through his thick hair. “They over and underestimate humans at the same time.” 

“I know, right?” Aminata groaned as she played with a bubblegum pink pigtail. “It’s like the more powerful they are, the more ignorant and bratty they are, huh?” She smiled down at me.

“Hmm, I guess,” I muttered in return. My mind felt hazy and overcrowded with thoughts at the same time. 

“Don't worry,” Nickels said in a hushed tone, “We won’t ask any questions or bother you too much, we just wanted to check in on you. I’m sure you know this kid,” he chuckled in disbelief, “But you are very, very, lucky to be alive.” 

“Lucy’s lucky that I don’t teach him a lesson!” Aminata snapped. “This is what happens when a bunch of wild boys are left to their own devices without a mother or at least a parent figure around! They have no idea how to respect women!” 

“I’ve never met Lucifer,” Nickels mused, “But I’m sure he really doesn’t like being called ‘Lucy,” Aminata.” 

“Of course he doesn’t,” She giggled, “But he deserves it, especially now. Oh,” she fell back onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling. “I bet he’s down in his study right now, ashamed and apologizing professedly to his beloved Dia.”

“Dia,” I let out a snorty laugh. “Do you mean Lord Diavolo?” 

“Duh, of course,” Aminata giggled in return. Her laugh was addicting. It always made me feel better. 

“I’m sure he’s feeling a lot of regrets right now,” I mumbled. My eyes felt heavy. I was sure that I was going to fall asleep again at any moment. “When someone gets that mad, they end up doing and saying a lot of things that they regret.” 

“Yeah,” Aminata whispered, “But his prideful nature would never allow him to admit that he did something wrong so easily. If you feel too uncomfortable around him girly, you can always come over to my apartment, alright?” 

“Thanks, Aminata,” I smiled as I closed my eyes. “But I need to face him even if I feel uncomfortable or scared. I can’t just run away from my problems.” 

“How mature of you,” Aminata softly sang out. “ Girly, before you pass out on me, are you going to work tomorrow? I can totally get someone to fill your shift.” 

“I don’t know,” I mumbled. “I only feel sore, so I’ll probably go to class tomorrow. I might as well go to work as well.” 

“Okay baby,” She whispered as she reached out and squeezed my arm in an attempt to be comforting. “Get some rest, Nickels and I will be here for a little bit just talking.” 

“Okay,” I yawned as I snuggled up to Beel’s pillow. Nickels’ and Aminata’s voices became hushed and cautious. 

“Are you okay being here?” Aminata asked with uneasiness lining her voice. “I know that you’ve avoided meeting the brothers for the five years you’ve been here and you just met two of them.” 

“I’m fine,” Nickels reasoned. “I feel a little… unusually timid, but I’ll be fine. I think a problem would only come up if they actually found out who I was. I think they would have a bigger issue with me than I would with them,” he chuckled. 

“Really? I mean,” she struggled to find the right words. “They voted to kick your family out of the Devildom. You said that you weren’t born yet, right? That your mom was pregnant with you?” 

“That’s right,” Nickels confirmed her statement. “And instead of ‘kicked out’ it was more like eternally exiled to the human realm. I don’t blame Diavolo or the brothers for what they did. My parents are horrible people,” Nickels calm and smooth voice now had a bitter twist to it. “I want my identity to stay hidden because I never want to be compared to them.” 

_ What?  _ I was groggy and being dragged away into the unconscious realm of dreams, but I still heard every single word.  _ What’s Nickels’ story? I already know next to nothing about him and now I have even more questions.  _

“Diavolo doesn’t seem to compare you to them, considering you’re back!” Aminata’s voice became more chipper. “Hey, I don’t know if she is still asleep yet, should we be talking about this right now?” I supposed that she must have been talking about me. 

_ But I’m so sleepy. _

“It’s okay,” Nickels replied softly. “She’s smart, she’ll find out eventually.” 

_ I’ll let tomorrow me deal with tomorrow’s problems. _

“Guess you’re right. Girly constantly surprises me. Do you feel the magical energy in the room? It’s dominant and… hungry. I think she made a pact with Beel before we came in.”

_ Lucifer, school, work, Nickels, all tomorrow.  _

“Three of the most powerful demons in the Devildom are at the command of a 17-year-old girl,” Nickels chuckled. “Good for her. Perhaps this exchange program will bring more than what Divaolo expects. I’m looking forward to it.” 

_ Tomorrow.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	21. Chapter 21: Do Demons Have Hope for Tomorrow?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the morning after Claudia made her pact with Beel and things are very tense between everyone at breakfast. To ease the relationship between everyone, Lord Diavolo comes up with a plan.

Oh, tomorrow. Oh how foolishly ignorant I was to think that tomorrow would be better than the previous day. I expected breakfast to be brutally awkward the next day after the “incident” involving Beel, Luke, Lucifer, Mammon, and I but it exceeded all of my expectations of rock bottom. The silence between everyone at the table was suffocating and I felt myself getting more and more nervous as the seconds ticked by. I kept myself reserved as I absentmindedly sipped on my tea and stared off into space. I reasoned that anything I had to say would only worsen the tense atmosphere. 

It seemed that only those who had not witnessed last night’s conflict, which included Levi, Satan, and Asmodeus, were able to casually remark on the incident and remain carefree. Asmodeus was the first to say something as he twirled his bangs around one of his slender fingers. 

“Aw, normally everyone’s so happy and full of energy at breakfast,” he remarked, “But things are sooo tense today!” Satan nodded and threw in his two cents. 

“After hearing about what happened last night, I’m not surprised.” Asmodeus hummed at Satan’s comment and glanced over at Levi who was sitting next to me, completely unbothered. 

“How about you, Levi?” His younger brother asked. “You weren’t involved in the drama at all?” 

_ Nope,  _ I thought.  _ His timing was perfect. He’s been hiding out for the past three days. The only time I saw Levi was when I dropped off food for him in his room.  _

“I haven’t left my room in three days since  _ Master of Diablo _ released,” the otaku explained. “That’s my new game. I’ve been busy trying to finish it. It’s an open-world game set in the human world, which you try to destroy by asserting control over Diablo, the Lord of the Underworld. It’s AMAZING.” he stressed. 

“So you’re playing yet another game with inappropriate themes,” Satan muttered. “Still,” he spoke up. “I have to admit, sometimes there are advantages to being a shut-in. You avoid getting caught up in an unpleasant business, like what happened last night.”

“Yeah, you can definitely say that,” Asmodeus sighed as he crossed his arms. “Just look at Beel,” the Avatar of Lust nodded at him. “He’s on his sixth cup of soup. That’s only half his normal pace.”

“I see that Mammon has the same stupid look on his face as he always does,” Satan smirked as he glanced over at the second born. I was about to get extremely annoyed but then I prevented myself from speaking up. 

_ Wait, they’re trying to break the tension in the room, aren’t they?  _ I smiled a little as I brought my teacup up to my lips. 

“Hey!” Mammon snapped out of his stoic silence. “What’s that about my face now?! You all!” He glared at Satan and Asmodeus with a puffed-up face. “Stop whisperin’ over there! If you got somethin’ to say, just come out and say it!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Asmodeus casually twirled his fork around. “We weren’t whispering-” and they weren’t, Mammon just wasn’t paying attention up until the point his name was mentioned- “Don’t have a hissy fit, Mammon.”

“It’s okay, Mammon,” I whispered as I reached my hand out and touched his arm. “Just ignore them.” 

“You know,” Satan sharply sighed, “We weren’t able to use the kitchen until this morning, and the repairs won’t even be completely finished until tonight, as someone had destroyed it,” he made sure to stare daggers into Beel. “So I’d say, we’re the victims here.”

_ And there it goes! _ I nervously glanced around at everyone.  _ Any sense of peace and joy! This is getting really uncomfortable. I should just head out. I’m sure the fresh air will help me out a lot. _

“Well,” I declared as I stood up and slipped out of my seat. “I’m going to head off to campus now…”

“...Claudia.” I froze and gently turned to Lucifer’s sharp and piercing gaze. “Would you come see me in the music room before heading off to class?” I felt my hands grow sweaty and I was surprised how fast I reacted. 

“Of course,” I nodded as I blurted out my response. “I guess,” I awkwardly changed my direction as I spoke, “Will head there… now.” 

“I’ll be there waiting for you,” Lucifer stood up and without another word, walked off. 

“Ooh,” a grin played at Asmodeus’ lips. “Lucifer wants to see Claudia? Yikes! Super scary!”

“Pff,” Satan muffled his laugh with the back of his hand. “Careful Asmodeus. He might hear you.” 

_ What am I going to do? I hope it’s a very calm and peaceful talk. I just want to resolve everything.  _ I groaned as I looked down at my feet.  _ I feel a stare.  _ I turned around to see Mammon, Levi, and Beel looking over at me with sincerity and concern. I felt my cheeks heat up and my chest flutter. They cared about me and I could really tell. 

“Guys, don’t worry about me,” I mustered with as much confidence as I could. “I’ll be alright. We’re only talking.” I placed a hand on Levi’s shoulder since he was the closet. He jumped a little at my touch. “And we need to talk. I won’t have any problems with Lucifer, okay?” I called out as I turned, waving. “See you in class!” 

“Claud...” Beel whispered but his voice faded away. I was already too far away to argue with. I didn’t feel as timid as I had at the table now. Sure, I was about to totally have a super scary talk with THE Lucifer who had tried to kill me the previous night, but all I could think about was how sweet and caring Levi, Mammon, and Beel looked when Lucifer summoned me for a meeting. 

_ Who knew that they cared? I sure didn’t.  _ I almost snorted.  _ I mean, I have been hoping that I would become friends with them. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve arrived at the Devildom, hell, it’s the beginning of September now, so I get it. We are still strangers in a lot of ways. I can’t just magically expect a bunch of thousands year old demons to like me right away. Aminata and Nickels are just naturally welcoming,  _ I reasoned as I walked down the silent halls and winding stairs of the manor. I could see the entrance to the music hall come into view and I felt my heartbeat become faster. The entrance wasn’t a door that acted as an opening into the room, but instead a gaping arch that was decorated in velvet curtains.  _ Oh boy,  _ I gulped,  _ let’s just do this and get it over with.  _

I cautiously stepped into view and entered the elegant and golden music hall. On the other end of the entrance, was a mirrored arch that acted as the entrance to the planetarium. Lucifer had his back to me, silently waiting in reflection as he watched the planetarium fountain go through its gentle cycle of rolling water that fluttered down from the top. As if able to sense my presence, which I had a feeling that Lucifer indeed could, Lucifer turned around as I approached him. 

“Ah, you’re here,” he said as his gaze met mine, still unreadable. 

“Yeah,” I shyly smiled as I subconsciously crossed my arms, almost matching his stance. I found Lucifer intimidating, cold, and unreadable, but not heartless or emotionless. I understood that he put up a lot of walls to present to the world a perfect and professional image of himself. As a demon of pride, image was everything to him. Outside of my analysis, I knew nothing about him. I could assume, but I didn’t really know. 

_ Am I really just some lowly human to you?  _

“I assume you know what it is I want to talk to you about,” Lucifer went on, his voice neutral and even. “It’s regarding last night.” I nodded; I expected this. “...What I did to you was inexcusable,” his cold stance seemed to melt away as he pulled his gaze away from mine. His body language was dripping with sorrow and deep regret. “I apologize. However,” his moment of weakness was gone as soon as it had appeared, “There’s one thing I want to make absolutely clear.” 

“Of course,” I whispered. I decided not to accept his apology just yet. I was a forgiving person, but my reaction was going to depend on his next words. 

“As long as they consent to it, I have no problem with you making pacts with my brothers,” he explained and I waited for the ‘but.’ “However-”  _ Damn, so close-  _ “Your curiosity is getting the better of you,” he snapped as he stepped towards me. “I want you to stop sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

_ Of course he had to expand this conversation to Belphegor and the attic,  _ I felt my eye twitch with his words,  _ but it almost seems as if he doesn’t know that I have spoken to the youngest of the family which seems odd.  _

“I believe I warned you not to climb the stairs leading up to the attic,” he said with a scowl. I felt like he was some kind of mysterious third parent that I never had met before with the way he was talking to me. “And yet,” he sighed, “You did exactly that.” I felt guilt cling onto me like a heavy weight. As someone who naturally felt a lot of sympathy and empathy, I got guilty rather easily. That’s why I was such a bad liar. It wasn’t as if I lacked the skills to make a convincing performance- I was an actor after all- but my moral high ground handicapped me. “I’m the only demon able to go up there,” Lucifer continued, “There’s a spell cast on the stairs that ensures that. However, it only works on demons- humans and angels are still able to pass… Unfortunately,” he added that last part with a sprinkle of extra annoyance. “As I’m sure you’ve found, there’s nothing at all at the top of those stairs.”

“Uh-” I quickly shut my mouth. “That’s right,” I mumbled and quickly looked away.

_ Holy shit? What does he mean? I doubt that Lucifer is playing dumb. That’s not how he rolls… so I was right, he really doesn’t know that I’ve come in contact with Belphegor.  _

“Curiosity killed the cat,” Lucifer said and I felt like he had said something rather similar when he first chastised me about the attic. “If you behave yourself, you’ll complete your year here in the exchange program. At which point, we’ll return you to the human world.” 

_ Now I feel like a bad person even though I know I am doing the right thing,  _ I thought as I moved to fiddle with my long hair out of nervousness. I never liked being yelled at, even though Lucifer was nothing compared to last night. 

“I imagine that last night served as somewhat of a learning experience for you.” 

“W-What?” I felt my eyes widened. A wave of anger washed over me. 

_ Learning experience?!  _ I wanted to scream. 

“Still, the fact remains that I put you through a very scary experience,” I relaxed a little. Perhaps Lucifer wasn’t about to say something extremely foolish. Nothing enraged me more than when men, horrible men who acted as if they had cared about me, had blamed me- victim-blamed me- for situations that they had put me through. “Sometime in the near future, I’d like to treat you to a meal out somewhere to make it up to you.” I took a deep breath before speaking. 

“That sounds lovely,” I mustered my best sweet voice. “I hope you understand that I need a moment to completely forgive you and I will try not to hold anything against you.” I removed my nervous hand from my hair and flipped it back with a swift motion. “...I will also take your words into consideration and… behave.” 

_ But in the wise words of Martin Luther King Jr.,  _ I thought slyly,  _ “One has a moral responsibility to  _ **_disobey_ ** _ unjust laws,” Lucifer.  _

“I see, good,” Lucifer nodded and I highly doubted that he believed me. “I’ll set our dinner date soon. Well, that’s all I had to say,” he declared. “You’re free to go.” 

“Ah, well I’m glad we could have a moment to talk,” I hummed and turned away. “Have a good day, Lucifer.” I hurried off before anything else could be said. My cheeks were inflamed with anger as I now had a moment to think. 

_ I am once again being treated like a child. I understand that in the eyes of many, I still have much to learn as a young adult, but isn’t his behavior patronizing and unfair? Conversation my ass, that was more like a lecture. He is NOT my father!  _ I huffed as I found myself in the dining room. Everyone was long gone and the table was empty. I swiped my briefcase and phone that I had abandoned at the table.  _ I want to be understanding of Lucifer, but he is draining my patience. _ I glanced at the time on my phone.  _ At least I still have plenty of time to make it to class.  _

I continued to flume with my thoughts during my walk to the RAD Campus. The dark sky overhead was covered in a thick blanket of clouds and I cursed myself for not checking the forecast before leaving the House of Lamentation. If it rained and continued to rain after school, then my walk to Devhora later would be a long and rather wet one. I hoped for a miracle as I walked into the main building of the RAD campus. The moment I stepped inside, I was bombarded by a shocked Mammon that almost tackled me. 

“Ah!” I jumped a little, startled. “Mammon?” I was surprised to see him. Usually in the mornings, after walking with me to RAD, he would always draw his attention to his phone and ignore all else around him as he searched for quick ways to make “money fast,” according to him, online. I was even more surprised to see Beel and Levi not far behind him. Beel would always have his “second breakfast,” as I would call it, in the cafeteria during the morning and Levi hardly showed up for in-person classes unless there was a student council meeting that day. Oftentimes, he would balance his shut-in life with online classes. 

“Hey, how about that!” Mammon beamed at me with the cutest expression that I had ever witnessed. “Claudia, you’re alive!”

“H-Hey guys,” I felt my anger and stress vanish at Mammon’s expression. “Of course I’m alive,” I snorted as I lightly punched Mammon’s arm. 

“Let’s see,” Beel muttered with a gentle smile as he gently approached me. He circled me and gently touched and grabbed onto my arms as he studied me. I felt my cheeks heat up at his gaze. “Yep,” he nodded, “You’ve still got both arms and both legs. Your eyes are still in their sockets, and your ears,” he paused as he brushed some of my hair out of the way, “Are still attached.” He let go of me and stepped back. “Guess you’re okay.”

“I’m pretty sure I’m okay, at least for now,” I remarked with a bubbly laugh. 

“I want to know what Lucifer did,” Levi said with a hint of excitement. “You’ve got to give me the deets L-8-R, yo!”

“L-8-R?” I blinked in confusion and felt a bit overwhelmed by the presence of the demon brothers. 

“Man, there you go again!” Mammon rolled his eyes. “‘ Give me the deets L-8-R, yo’?! Like, what lame message board did ya learn THAT on?! Also,” Mammon crossed his arms, “It’s one thing to type L8R, but who the hell actually says it out loud?!”

“Hey, don’t harass Levi so much,” I glared at Mammon without much ill intent, “He just has a very unique way of speaking.” 

“More like cringy,” Mammon retorted with a snort. 

_ I mean, _ I cautiously glanced at Levi with a smile,  _ I can’t say he’s wrong.  _

“Whaaat?” I heard someone speak up from a distance and pinpointed the voice to Asmodeus who was leaning up against a locker applying a glossy cap stick. There was some girl hanging all over him. She, if from the human world, would look like she was from Asian descent, and had the prettiest dark and piercing eyes I have ever seen. “You’re still alive?” He called out to me. “Well, that’s boring…”

“Of course,” Satan who was standing on Asmodeus' other side with his locker open and pulling thick books from it spoke up. “Unless he went crazy again like last night, Lucifer wouldn’t harm Claudia. And do you know why that is, Claudia?” Satan glanced over at me with a charming glint in his eyes. 

Of course, I did. I felt myself sigh, my mood souring. 

“It’s because I’m an exchange student,” I replied.  _ It’s not because he actually likes me as a person or anything,  _ I thought with a little disappointment… Disappointment, I almost felt bitter that I was disappointed. Why was I disappointed? 

“Exactly,” Satan nodded as he slammed his locker shut with his free hand. “I see you have a good grasp of what’s going on here.” 

“Duh,” the stranger hugging onto Asmodeus chipped in as she smacked away on some bubble gum. “No one gives a shit about some human. You’re only safe here cause you’re a special little snowflake exchange-y.” 

“I can’t argue with that,” Satan glanced over at the girl, which I was starting to really not like despite not knowing. Asmodeus almost seemed to giggle as he ran a hand through the girl’s dark hair. “If anything were to happen to one of our exchange students, it would make Lord Diavolo look bad. Lucifer would never do anything to harm Lord Diavolo’s reputation.” 

“Speak of the Devil,” Asmodeus chimed in. “Don’t we need to head off to our student council meeting?” 

_ So they have a morning meeting,  _ I felt myself frowning. 

“Mhm,” Satan hummed and glanced at the girl with Asmodeus before walking off. 

“Gahh,” Mammon groaned as he dragged his feet. “We always got so many damn meetings.” 

“Claudia,” Beel smiled down at me. “You should come and attend. It won’t be a big deal and I know Diavolo always likes it when you do.”  __

“I don’t want to be a bother,” I whispered, feeling like next to nothing because of the glare from “Asmodeus’ girl” and because of Satan’s comment. Beel placed a hand on my shoulder as he seemed to glare back at her. “Ignore her,” he almost growled. “She’s just one of Asmodeus’... lovers.” I nodded as I let Beel guide me towards the student council office. Levi started to ramble on about the game that he had spent the last three days playing but I couldn’t focus on it, even though I really wanted to pretend that I cared for him. I was too busy looking back at the girl that Asmodeus was now sharing a sweet kiss with. She playfully pulled him away with a smirk. 

“Bye sexy,” she hummed as she ran a hand down Asmodeus’ waist. “See you tonight.” 

“Mmm, I hate that I have to wait until tonight, Eisheth,” Asmodeus purred into her neck as he placed kisses down her neck. She giggled before slipping away from him. 

“Too bad. Only patient demons get rewards,” this Eisheth winked. She blew a big bubble with her hot pink gum and let out a loud pop as she allowed the bubble to bust the moment she noticed my eyes on her. 

_ Whatcha looking at, bitch?  _ She mouthed before sharply turning away and storming off. I gasped and turned away, my eyes getting watery. 

“Well, it seems that everyone’s here!” Diavolo announced as the brothers and I entered the student council office. He was already sitting at his head desk with Lucifer, his right hand, sitting beside him. “Claudia,” he beamed as I sat down in “my chair” that I always claimed whenever I participated in the meetings. “What a pleasant surprise for you to join us!” 

“Good morning, Lord Diavolo,” I smiled kindly. “I hope you don’t mind that I join in today’s meeting?”

“Not at all,” Diavolo let out a hearty guffaw. “Now,” he looked towards his right-hand man, “Shall we get started, Lucifer?” 

“All right,” Lucifer nodded after making sure that everyone was in their seats. I glanced over at the empty one that belonged to Belphegor. The space felt so empty and out of place. “I’m going to go ahead and call this officers’ meeting to order. To start things off, Lord Diavolo has an announcement for us.”

“Yes,” Diavolo paused to clear his throat. “Well then, I assume that some of you have already heard the rumors about the group retreat,” I looked around the room to see a few nods. Meanwhile, I had no idea what the hell Diavolo was talking about. “And they’re true. I’m planning an exchange party between demons, angels, and humans to be held at my castle.” Diavolo smiled as his tone became excited. “I have a feeling that this will turn out to be quite the interesting experience for all of us.” 

“Maybe for you,” Lucifer sighed, “But for me, it's simply going to mean more headaches.”

“Now, now,” Diavolo said comfortingly as he patted Lucifer’s shoulder, “Don’t say that, Lucifer.” 

“A group retreat, huh?” Satan spoke his thoughts out loud. “I’d heard the rumors, but I never thought they were true.” 

“So,” Asmodeus looked very surprised by this new revelation, “Demons, angels, and humans are all going to get together and have an exchange event? Nothing like that has ever happened before, has it?”

“No, indeed not,” Diavolo seemed to be filled with pride as he spoke, “But there has to be a first time for everything. And you are all going to be present to witness this particular first.” 

“Excuse me,” I spoke up with a slightly raised hand. “I’m afraid that I haven’t heard any mention of a retreat before… I assume it will include us- if I am invited- and the other exchange students?” 

“Of course,” Diavolo nodded. “You are indeed invited! The group retreat is for us all!” 

“A group retreat?” Mammon groaned from his seat as he slumped down in it. “Just the fact that you’d call it that tells me it’s gonna be a huge hassle…” 

“Will there be food?” Beel asked, not surprisingly, eager. “Good food?”

“Ah yes,” Lord Diavolo chuckled and glanced towards Lucifer, “Why don’t I let Lucifer give you a rundown on what we have planned.” Lucifer nodded before obeying Diavolo’s request. 

“The exchange party will be held at the Demon Lord’s Castle.” My eyes lit up a little. I had never been to a castle before, let alone a thousands year old castle that belonged to one of the most powerful- if not THE- most powerful figures in the Devildom. “In addition to spending the night there, you’ll be attending several events, including a dinner party and a formal dance.”

“A dinner party,” Beel whispered dreamily as he licked his lips. Although Beel found the dinner party as the most intriguing part of the spectacle, I was entranced by the idea of a formal dance. 

_ A formal dance! He must mean a ball!  _ I could feel myself getting excited.  _ It’s a good thing I happened to pack what would have been my prom dress last year.  _ As a previously American student, I had been eagerly awaiting prom the previous spring. With the perfect shoes and dress, I was ready to dazzle everyone. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen events, my junior prom was canceled and my sparkling ruby dress was abandoned in my closet. For some unknown reason, it had been packed with my belongings- which I still had no recollection of packing- when I arrived in the Devildom. This retreat would be the perfect chance to wear it. 

“I assume you must have some questions?” Diavolo asked all of us, breaking me away from my excitement that was threatening to turn into some romantic daydream. 

“Um, yes, I do,” I replied. “Could someone explain what’s the Demon Lord’s Castle? Is that your home, Diavolo?” 

“That’s right,” Diavolo nodded. “It’s my castle.” 

“It’s hands down,” Satan explained with fascination, “The most magnificent, impressive structure in all of the Devildom.”

“Oooh!” I gasped with anticipation. If Satan, an intellect like myself, praised the castle, then I knew it had to be an architectural marvel. I had a feeling that I would be taking a lot of photos once I arrived at the glorious castle. 

“And,” Levi blabbed, “It’s just like the castle where the heroine lived in  _ Fantasium Fantasia 9 _ ! Now, when it comes to the  _ Fantasium Fantasia  _ series as a whole, it goes without saying that the-” 

_ Oh no,  _ I thought with exasperation,  _ there my darling weeb goes again. Ramble, ramble, ramble.  _

Needless to say, Levi started to blab on about the series and random tidbits (which I found impressive that he knew such useless information) until Asmodeus just straight up spoke over his older brother. 

“Yes,” he said loudly, “The Demon Lord’s Castle is like something straight out of a fairy tale. It’s absolutely beautiful!” 

“...At first glance, sure,” Mammon shrugged with little interest. “But I know the truth,” his eyes became cold with suspension. “I know about the tons and tons of horrible stories they tell about that place. It’s enough to make your skin crawl.” 

“Dinner…” Beel was still caught up on the food aspect of the trip. “There’s gonna be a dinner.” 

“Barbatos has a secret torture toom beneath the castle,” Mammon gossiped, “And every night you can hear his victims screams of agony echoing up from outta there… And,” Mammon shivered, clearly terrified, “There’s a huge mirror, and behind it is the entrance to a secret labyrinth. Inside the labyrinth lives a monster that feasts on the innards of demons.” 

“So, Asmodeus claims it’s like something out of a fairy tale,” Satan mused, entertained, “And Mammon thinks it’s a hell house.” 

“I’ll either be walking into a Disney Castle,” I joked with a laugh that shook my shoulders, “Or onto the set of a horror movie.” 

“Well,” Satan grinned at me, “Who do YOU believe, Claudia?”

“Hm,” I leaned back in my chair and looked up in thought. “Well, I am in the Devildom which is literally the center of Hell. I know Mammon gets scared easily-” 

“Hey, I do not!” He protested and I playfully rolled my eyes. 

“-But,” I continued, “I think I am more inclined to believe Mammon this time.” 

“Right,” Mammon muttered and flashed me a casual smile and always made my heart skip a couple of beats. “...Hopefully, we’ll both make it out of the castle alive.”

After a few more questions and comments, Lord Diavolo dismissed the meeting right before the first bell rang. It had been decided that the retreat would be held this weekend, which was an extremely short notice considering I had a job, and I hoped that Aminata would be understanding of the circumstance. I don’t think anyone had the luxury of saying no to Lord Diavolo however and anyway, I really did want to go on the retreat. It sounded like a vacation and I hoped that it would ease the tensions between all of us. Last night’s memories and feelings wouldn’t just magically vanish. 

_ Well, I better get going,  _ I hummed as I picked up my case, ready to head off to class after saying my goodbyes. 

“Claudia,” a hesitant voice called out and I turned to smile at who the voice belonged to, Beel.

“Yes, Beel?” I gave him my attention as he nervously stepped up to me. “What’s up?” 

“Can we talk?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	22. Chapter 22: Do Demons get Bored on Rainy Days?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beelzebub has a special request for Claudia that pleasantly surprises her. After school, she steps outside to head to work and is faced with a heavy downpour of rain! Claudia has to call on an unexpected ally to give her ride and in return is faced with a chaotic encounter. When she arrives at Devhora, she is faced with a slow and rainy shift. Aminata finds an unusual way to stop her employees from getting bored.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Just a heads up to younger readers or those sensitive to mature topics, this chapter features sexual themes that some readers may be uncomfortable with. You have been warned!

_Rain._

I slowly brought my pale hand out from under the awning that was protecting me from the light droplets falling from the stormy sky overhead. My slender hand flinched when several cold droplets met it. I slowly pulled away as I noticed the rain increase in intensity. Many students rushed towards their cars, covering themselves with their bags, hands, or jackets. Others who looked like they were prepared to walk a long distance pulled out their umbrellas and the RAD student parking lot and sidewalks became a parade of bobbing umbrellas. I sighed and hugged myself as I shivered. 

_I knew that it was going to rain the moment I stepped outside this morning but I don’t have a car or an umbrella. Peachy, just peachy,_ I thought bitterly and let out a drained yawn. I felt drained of all energy and the soft rhythm of the rain threatened to lure me into slumber. _I hope I have enough energy for work and my meetup with Beel,_ I thought wistfully as I recalled my conversation earlier that day. 

_“Can we talk?”_

_“Of course,” I smiled as I crossed my arms. Beel seemed out of his element and unsure. I hoped he was okay and that nothing- yet again- was wrong._

_“So I know we both like food-” He started and I giggled._

_“Sorry, sorry” I hushed myself. “Of course, I love food.”_

_“Okay, good,” Beel nodded seriously and seemed to make a mental note. “Well, I wanted to celebrate our pact by taking you out to eat somewhere.”_

_“Oh,” I was taken aback. I hadn’t celebrated at all when I got into a pact with Mammon and Levi. Both of the processes felt so rushed and forced and it genuinely made me happy that Beel seemed to want to celebrate the bond we had formed._

_“Unless you don’t want to,” Beel quickly brought up. “I understand.”_

_“No, no, I do!” I eagerly bobbed my head up and down. “I’m just very pleasantly surprised!” I beamed. The concept of doing something with my newfound friend was exciting but dinner felt so intimate and… almost like a date. I knew better than to get my hopes up, but the allure of dressing nice and sharing a private meal with Beel was too good to pass up. “Where, ah,” I tried to wipe the romantic disillusion from my mind as I spoke, “Would you like to go?”_

_“Hell’s Kitchen,” Beel said with a faraway look in his eyes. “It’s only the best restaurant in the Devildom. It’s nice but not too expensive so we can get as much as we want.” Beel licked his lips. “I want to treat you, especially since you saved me.”_

_“That sounds perfect Beel, when do you want to go?”_

_“I know you have work today,” he said in an almost timid way, “But could I pick you up after your shift and take you? Tonight’s the last night that we will share a room and I want to do this before the retreat.”_

_“Sure, I understand,” I nodded with a rosy tint in my cheeks. Beel probably found his words innocent, but the fact that he cared about how we were sharing a room made my mind race a little._

_“Aye, what are ya two going on about?” We heard someone call out and Mammon came walking up. “If ya keep yapping, the two of you are going to be late!” He huffed as he crossed his arms. “I mean, I don’t care if you are late,” he glanced at me, “But it’s going to be annoying when you start whining about it!”_

_“Uh-huh, okay,” I grinned at Mammon as I walked past him. “Thanks for the warning Mammon,” I thanked him. “Beel,” I turned back, my voice growing louder the farther I got, “I’ll see you tonight for our date!”_

_“DATE?!” Mammon gasped and looked like he was about to pounce on Beel. I hurried out of the student council office with a giggle, only imagining Mammon’s reaction and bombardment of questions towards poor Beel. I didn’t know why Mammon cared so much, but I couldn’t help but to selfishly feel good about it._

I glanced over at the time on my D.D.D. with anxiety. I assumed that the rain was not going to let up anytime soon, in fact, it was only spiraling into a heavier and messier storm, so walking was out of the question. I dedicated that the best option was to ask for a ride. 

_I don’t want to bother Beel since today he is taking me out and I would feel bad about asking. Let’s see, Lucifer is 100% out of the equation since we don’t really have the best of relationships right now. Satan’s in the library right now and I know because I saw him on my way outside. Mammon walked today as I did so there is no point in asking him. Levi leaves campus as soon as he can whenever he actually shows up for in-person classes and I would probably call him when he’s in the middle of some anime or game so he’s a no… Wait, what is Asmodeus doing right now?_

I quickly pulled up my phone app and was about to press Asmodeus’ contact before pausing. I wasn’t that close to the Avatar of Lust and I assumed he didn’t care about some average human that didn’t have the allure of some sexy succubus. I was imperfect and flawed. I rolled my eyes and tightened the grip on my phone in annoyance. 

_Stop it,_ I told myself. _Who cares even if that’s true? His loss, not mine._ I slammed down on his contact and brought the phone up to my ear. After a few beats, he picked up. After a few beats, he answered. 

“Hello, hello!” He sang. “Look at you, you’ve never called me before Claudia! It must be important, or do you just want to play with little old me?”

“Hey, Asmodeus,” I rolled my eyes with a casual smile at his flirty tone. He always sounded like that so I tried not to let it faze me. “I hope I’m not bothering you, but could you please give me a ride to Devhora? I usually walk but it’s raining really hard and I don’t have an umbrella with me…” 

“Sounds easy,” he hummed, “I just got in my car and was about to drive off but you called at the peeeerfect time.” I felt my hopes rising. “But!”

“But?” 

“What do I get in return?” He purred. 

“Wh-” I stopped myself. 

_Holy shit, I was about to say “whatever you want!” Bad, bad idea!_

“What do you want?” I asked cautiously and he giggled in return. 

“Oh, you sound so guarded! Did you think I wanted something naughty-” He started to ask but I heard a sharp voice interrupt him. 

“Asmo,” it was female, “Just decide if you want to drag the human around or not. I’m tired of waiting.” 

“Okay, my Eisheth,” he purred and I tensed up. Hold on a second, was he with that demoness that was hanging off of him earlier? I was starting to regret asking. “How about this Claudia,” Asmodeus addressed me, “I give you a ride, and then when I need a favor, you repay. Easy, right?” I felt my insides twist up in knots. I knew how dangerous such a promise could be but I really needed a ride and I didn’t know who else to turn to. Nickels would have ultimately been the best option, but I didn’t have his number. 

“I know I am going to regret this,” I sighed, “But fine.” 

“Aw, you never know!” I could hear the smile behind Asmodeus’ voice. “Are you waiting outside the main building?” 

“Yeah, I am,” I confirmed. 

“Watch out for my car, I’ll be there in just a moment!” And with that, he hung up. A few beats later, Asmodeus’ shiny and fit baby pink car rolled up in front of me and the window rolled down. 

“Hey,” Asmodeus flashed me a charming smile. I almost smiled back but stopped when the girl sitting in the passenger seat glared at me. Yup, I was right; she was the demon from earlier. I pulled my gaze away and hurried in back as I thanked him. I slipped into the dark interior carefully, mindful of the leather seats, and buckled up. 

“This won’t be long, right?” She asked Asmodeus, completely ignoring me, as she slid one of her hands over to his side and placed it on his thigh. 

“It’s only a six-minute drive, don’t worry baby,” he assured Eisheth.

I leaned back and forced myself to look out the window, watching the scenery blur from rainwater that rolled down the car window. I had a feeling this would be the longest drive of my life with how suffocated and unwanted I felt by this Eisheth. She had to be Asmodeus’ lover, no doubt about it, but how long would she be by his side? I constantly saw demons and witches hanging off Asmodeus at school and it wasn’t just new people every day, it was new people every few hours. Outside of school, he constantly stayed out late into the night, going to bars and clubs and not returning until the next morning wearing the same clothes he had worn the previous night. I didn’t see him bring people back to the House of Lamentation but I think he usually did according to Mammon. I assumed due to Lucifer’s more irritable mood, Asmodeus had started to shy away from such a practice. 

Asmodeus and Eisheth had been quietly talking the whole drive while I had been left with my thoughts but they caught my attention when I heard my name. 

“...Well, Claudia,” Asmodeus said with a sense of pride, “Already has three pacts with my brothers. I mean, she would never pin me down, but I think it’s impressive that she has control of such powerful and handsome men.”

“Asmodeus,” I snorted, “Don’t talk about your brothers like that… but thank you,” my voice became softer. “I’m surprised to hear a compliment from you.” 

“I only say the truth when it comes to beauty and talent,” he declared. 

“It’s not that impressive,” Eisheth snapped as she crossed her arms up from the passenger seat. “I mean, she made a pact with the weeb, the idiot, and the one that only cares about food.” I felt myself scowl at her comment.

“I’m sorry, but the weeb, idiot, and the foodie are all wonderful guys that are far beyond any insult that you could throw at them,” I responded back with just as much bite as she had given me. “Levi is a passionate and dedicated person that always gives 100% to his every interest, Mammon is sweet and caring, even if he doesn’t want to show it, and isn’t as foolish as everyone believes him to be, and Beel cares about more than just food: he cares about his family and friends- in fact, he cares more about his family than anything else…!” I glanced out the window to see Devhora come into view and I quickly grabbed my briefcase. “Well,” I huffed, “Looks like I’m at my destination. Thank you for the ride,” I told Asmodeus as I kept my gaze out the window. “And… It’s none of my business who you spend your time with, but maybe you should rethink your companionship choices.” I turned my gaze to match his shocked expression. His eyebrows were raised in shock and his soft lips were drawn into a thin and tight line. “I wouldn’t want to spend my time with someone who has the guts to insult my family.” 

“You little-” Eisheth roared as she snaked her hands around to grab me but I stepped out of the car before she could snatch me. Fearing for my life, I paced my way towards the pink and bright Devhora building and almost fell inside as I pushed the glass doors open. I took a moment to gasp in the air I didn’t realize I was holding in. 

“Uh, Claudia?” 

I glance out the glass door to see Asmodeus’ car slowly pulling away. I pressed a hand against my heart as I squeezed my eyes shut. 

“Claudia!” A deep voice yelled and I felt a hand land on my shoulders. I jumped at the touch and my eyes flung open. 

“Oh,” I let out a weak laugh when I saw Nickels looming over me with his mouth in a tight frown.

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” he whispered as he pulled his large hand away. His built form remained me of Beel, but Nickels had a leaner form, which was constantly covered up, compared to him. His hands were larger but very delicate with long fingers. The sides of his hands were stained with ink. He must have been writing before I walked in. “You looked scared, I thought something was wrong… And I don’t think I’m wrong.”

“Huh?” I blinked and then sighed. “I just have had a rough day...” I slumped a little, my previous confidence with Eisheth vanishing. “And,” I laughed, “yeah, I was scared but I should be fine now.” 

“I understand,” Nickels chuckled back as he patted my back before walking off. “Today will probably be a more casual day here since it's raining and we are short-staffed today, so just relax.” 

_I’ll try,_ I thought to myself, _but I don’t think I’m ever completely relaxed._

“Don’t forget that…” Nickels called out to me. “That you can talk to me if something is ever bothering you.” 

“Okay,” I replied back, a little more at ease. “Thank you.” 

I moved on autopilot as I headed to the female changing room. When I came out in my uniform, Aminata was at the counter with Nickels chatting away while she typed away on her phone. 

“Texting during work?” Nickels teased her with a coy smile. 

“I’m the boss so I get to,” she smiled back before sticking her tongue out at him. “Speaking of texting, Asmo has been texting me less lately!” She whined and slumped down against the white counter. “It means that he is hooking up way more. He’s done this before but, ugh, he never gets tired. I get it, he is obviously very sexy and very lusty, but I’m his friend! I deserve Asmo time!” Nickels shrugged and grinned at me. 

“You heard the boss, she demands ‘Asmo time’!” Aminata flicked Nickels’ arm with a groan. 

“Hey Girly,” Aminata mumbled, obviously bummed. 

“Hey,” I smiled at her with concern lining my forehead. “You must be really good friends with Asmodeus to be this worried.” 

“Yup,” She replied as she pushed herself off the counter. “We go way back! I’m hm,” she paused to think, tapping her long nails against the counter. “Just about his longest and only friend.” 

“Only?” I raised an eyebrow as I leaned against the counter, on the other side of the pair. “But,” I protested, “Asmodeus seems really really popular.” 

“Popularity doesn’t always mean you have a lot of friends,” Nickels brought up. “From what I can gather, even though I don’t know him personally, is that the Avatar of Lust has more lovers and flings than friendships and meaningful relationships.”

“Bing, bing, bing!” Aminata jumped around. “500 points to Nickels!” She sighed and jumped up to sit on the counter. She adjusted herself before bopping me on the nose. “You see Girly,” she explained, “I am the only person outside of Asmo’s brothers that have not slept with him while remaining close to him.”

“And why’s that?” I asked with curiosity. Aminata grinned with a giggle. 

“Duh, I’m gay!” She yelled. “Annnd, he respects me.”

“So,” I said slowly in thought. “You’re saying that he would never seduce or sleep with someone that he respects because he values them too much and views his lovers as toys that he can throw away.” 

“Basically,” Aminata sighed. “I’m so glad that he hasn’t touched you because I would string that twink up by his pretty strawberry blonde hair!” 

“Who says he wouldn’t like that?” Nickels smirked and Aminata punched him. 

“No dirty jokes around the child! I know we are both perverts but don’t corrupt the Girly!” 

“Hm, but the kid doesn’t mind,” Nickels shrugged, shaking off Amianta’s words and I nodded.

“I’m not a prude, so I don’t care what you talk about.” _In fact,_ I thought, _I may have no experience sexually, but it doesn’t mean I am innocent to any degree. I am a teenager after all. I have desires too._ “Anyway, I have already heard plenty of innuendos around Asmodeus anyway.” 

“Well, not surprised,” Aminata sighed. “Just be careful around him, okay?” She grabbed my shoulders. “He told me that he couldn’t seduce you, which is another can of worms to be opened another day, but that doesn't make you safe. Oh gosh, look at me!” She let out a bubbly laugh. “He isn’t dangerous- I made him sound like a rapist- but he breaks a lot of pretty girls' and handsome guys' hearts.” 

“Don’t worry,” I nodded. “I know what you meant and I stay away from guys like that. I always think that if someone can flirt and charm you without any nervousness then that means they don’t care about you as much as they pretend to because they aren’t worried about how they appear in front of you or what’d you think.” 

“Wise words,” Nickels whistled. We heard a buzz and Aminata snatched her D.D.D. that was adorned in a pink and sparkling case. She giggled as she rolled her eyes when she saw the message she had received. “He finally replied! We’re talking about Asmo,” she explained to me before looking back down at her phone. “I told him that I was bored out of my mind since we don’t have any customers and he sent me a quiz.” 

“What type of quiz is it?” I asked as she tapped at something on her phone. “Oh my gosh,” Aminata shook her head. “He wants the three of us to take a BDSM quiz.” 

“Shocking,” Nickels grinned. “Your horny friend sent us a horny quiz.” He shrugged. “I’ll take it, I have nothing to hide anyway… sexually anyway,” he chuckled. 

“I was about to say,” Aminata teased, “It’s not as if you hide your identity and your beautiful face behind your shaggy hair or anything. Man of mystery,” she sang dramatically. “I assume you’re taking it then?” She asked the demon as she taped away. “I’ll send you the link. Girly?” Aminata looked up with a raised eyebrow. “I mean, I don’t even know if you know what BDSM means.” 

“The B stands for Bible right?” I joked before shaking my head in disbelief. “I know what it means Aminata. The Internet is a wonderful source of knowledge back in the human realm. If I didn’t know what something was when I was a kid, I looked it up.” 

“But you’re a child, I don’t want to corrupt you!” Aminata gasped and I laughed. 

“I’ll survive. Just go ahead and send it to me. We can be perverts together.”

“Okay, I won’t deny the fact that I’m curious about your interests, considering that you are in a house full of sexy men,” Aminata wiggled her eyebrows with a glint in her eyes. 

“I thought you said that you were gay and here you are calling a group of men sexy,” I smiled slyly as I looked down at my phone that just buzzed. It was the link to the quiz so I picked up my phone. 

“Oh, I am tots 100% gay,” Amianta pipped up, “Love girls alotta, but like a vegetarian who strictly avoids meat but can admit when a steak looks delicious, I am a woman that can say when a man looks good.” 

“I wasn’t doubting you,” I explained as Nickels and I laughed. The three of us all had our heads down, glued to our phones. “I just wanted to give you a hard time.” 

“Boo, sadist!” Aminata whined. 

“Well, we’ll find out, won’t we?” Nickels jested and we all became silent as we started to take the quiz. The layout of the site was dark and grungy. At the top, it said in bold font: “Let’s test the kink out of you!” We first had to fill out some basic information, such as our age, sexuality, and age. 

“I can tell this is a human test,” Nickels brought up, “When I have to put that I’m over 75 in the age category.” 

“I feel so old when it’s worded like that!” Aminata eagerly nodded. “Oooo,” she leaned towards me. “I’m curious, what did you put down in the sexuality category?” I pulled my phone away from her view. 

“Oh, I don’t know,” I hummed. “Why not guess if you are so curious. Oh, and you can’t get help from Nickels.” I shot a glance at the mind-reading demon and he shrugged. 

“You heard the kid, Aminata,” he said while holding up his hands in defeat.

“Ugh,” She put her hands over her face. “Um, um, um!” She glanced down at the options presented. “Did you put heteroflexible…?”

“No, but you’re closer than most when it comes to guessing,” I admitted. Aminata pumped an arm up in victory. 

“Yes!” She hissed. “I don’t suck the most! I am middle of the road! Oh, oh-” she looked back at me with wide eyes. “Tell me, tell me!” She begged. “I shared, come on, share too!” She poked Nickels. “You too, Nickels so we can feel all happy and cozy like a work family.” 

“Sure, I don’t mind,” he played along with Aminata’s antics. “I’m Bisexual.” 

“I’m not surprised,” I nodded along. I wasn’t really shocked about Aminata either, but it was a pleasant experience to be surrounded by fellow LGBT members. “Okay, I guess I’ll share since I know I won’t be judged by the both of you-” 

“I would never!” Aminata gasped and threw her hands up. 

“I know, I know,” I sadly smiled, “But I’ve been judged by my sexuality before and it’s hurt so I hesitate to tell people. I’m pansexual.” 

“Oh, oh!” Aminata clapped. “A fellow queer! Wait,” she paused. “My memory is fuzzy. Is pansexual like bisexuality?” 

“Kinda-” Both Nickels and I started to speak at the same time and we both shared a look offered and I shrugged. 

“Uh, sure,” I accepted. “I even struggle to explain the difference sometimes, but basically, like bisexuality, a pansexual person likes more than one gender and although a pansexual person is sexually attracted to people, they are drawn to a person’s personality more. So um, for example,” my voice became lower and more embarrassed, “So you both know how I find Mammon… attractive,” Aminata giggled like a little kid and I felt my face heat up. “Well basically,” I said a little louder, “If he was a female or nonbinary, I would still be just as attracted to him. I don't just find him attractive because he's good looking, but I'm also attracted to his personality. Bisexuality is less about that, I guess?” 

“Gotcha, gotcha,” Aminata nodded and looked back down at her phone. “Oh, oh!” Aminata gasped as she looked up again. Nickels and I met her dark eyes. “Looks like we have to pick if we want the long version or the short version and if we want all the questions or not.” 

“Let’s all take the long version with all of the questions,” Nickels suggested. We all agreed and officially started the BDSM test. The quiz was laid out with statements such as “I like to be dominated, especially in the bedroom,” or “I want my partner to serve me and address me as a superior.” Below the statements were a scale that went from “absolutely disagree” to “absolutely agree.” We worked on the quiz in silence, none of us knowing each other answers. 

“...After you’re done,” Aminata spoke up at one point, “Give me your phones and we can have a dramatic revealing for all of us. I won’t judge,” she added. 

“Sure,” I nodded. “After all, no one needs to be embarrassed…” Once we finished, Aminata lined up our phones in front of her with enthusiasm. She rubbed her hands together with a stereotypical superhero villain. 

“Time for the moment of truth!” She giggled all giddy. “Let’s start with me first!” She tapped the submit button and both Nickels and I moved to peer over her shoulder. 

“Da, da, dada!” She sang out before clearing her throat. “Okay, okay,” she studied the results. From what I could see, there were several categories and each was at a different percentage. From the top of the list to the bottom, it went from the largest percentage to the smallest. “I’ll name off the first four results from mine because that will probs be the most accurate. 99% Brat, 98% Rope Bunny, 87% Submissive, and 64% Degrade. I mean, not surprised,” she giggled, “But what do some of these things mean?” She started to tap at the screen. “Oh, it has a definition for each!” 

“I think I know what all of them mean except rope bunny,” I responded.

“It means you like to be tied up which I tots do! I mean,” she twirled around one of her pigtails with her hands. “This is pretty accurate.” 

“Ha, my boss is a bottom,” I teased and she pinched my cheek.

“You laugh now,” the witch hummed, “But just wait until we see your results, whahaha!”

_Oh gosh,_ I felt my cheeks burn. 

“Well,” Aminata took a screenshot of her results before setting down her phone. “Let’s see just how kinky Nickels is!” She picked up the writer’s phone like a child stealing a cookie from a jar and smashed her finger down on the submit button. “I’m so excited!” Aminata squealed as she bounced around while the results loaded. “Nickels never tells me what he’s into, even when I ask!” I bet Nickels rolled his eyes to that comment. 

“Today all of your wildest dreams are coming true, Aminata,” he said back with a hint of snark. 

“Here it is!” Nickels and I moved to again look over Aminata at her phone. “Oh naughty, naughty, naughty!” She clicked her tongue together. “93% Dominant, 90% Daddy/Mommy, 89% Rigger, and 65% Master/Mistress.” Aminata looked at Nickels with wide eyes. “No fair! If you were a female I would soooooo be into you right now!” She playfully pounded on his chest. “How crazy that we are parallel opposites?” 

“Uh, what’s a rigger?” I asked. 

“Let’s see,” Aminata mumbled and then spoke up, “Someone who likes to tie up others. Nickels,” she grinned. “Are these results accurate? Look at you,” she poked him, “Being a dominant daddy!” 

“Ew,” I covered my face. “Don’t make me cringe Aminata.” 

“I um,” Nickels cleared his throat, unsure what to say. I swore that I saw a blush on his face but it could have been the gaudy lighting in Devhora. “I don’t have a comment except that the test is not incorrect.” 

“How sexy! I knew it!” Aminata blabbed. “He tots has dom energy, doesn’t he?” 

“I mean,” I shrugged, “Yeah, he does. So, I’m the last huh?” I sighed as I looked down at my phone. Aminata placed a hand on my shoulder and gently squeezed.

“Hey, don’t worry,” she said chipperly. “I would never judge you unless you were some sort of cannibal incest serial killer and Nickels probably already know what you’re into so you’ll be fine!” 

“Oh yes,” Nickels smirked, “Her knowing that I know is not creepy at all.” He shrugged. “I don’t read minds because I like to-well, sometimes I do- but it’s an ability I can’t always control.”

“Well,” I smirked back, “As long as you know that it is totally creepy and that you don’t have any bad intent then we’re good. Go ahead,” I looked towards Aminata and she took it as her sign to pull up my results. 

_At least the person that has probably one of the most powerful abilities in the world seems to be a good person, even if I don’t know much about him…_ I looked at Nickels. _Or should I say you?_ He snorted in response. 

“Girly, Girly!” Aminata aggressively tapped on my arm. “Lookie, look!” She started to read my results off, “100%- ooo, look at that, a 100%! 100% Switch, 66% Dominant, 64% Vanilla, and 63% Masochist!”

“I didn’t think that I’d get a 100% on Switch,” I muttered. 

“Nickels, correct me if I’m wrong,” Aminata tugged at his jacket as she spoke, “But a Switch is someone who likes to both give and receive regarding pain and well, penetration. Yeah, yeah?” He nodded in return. 

“You didn’t have to say that!” I blushed and picked at my nails. “...Even if it’s true,” I whispered. 

“What a spicy take, I totally need this!” Aminata took a screenshot of my phone without a second thought. 

“Huh? Woah, Woah,” I stiffened up. “Aminata, what are you doing?” 

“I’m sending it to myself, of course!” 

“Wait,” I tried to reach over and seize my phone from her. 

“Oh come on,” Aminata struggled against my grip with a laugh. “I’m not going to use it as blackmail or anything, don’t worry!” 

“I know,” I yelled, “But you need to ask me before you go off and-” 

“But I’m almost-”

“I’m serious! Stop-” My D.D.D. slipped from both of our grasps and stumbled onto the counter. Nickels carefully picked up my phone and let out an audible “oh no.”

“What?” I snapped and felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Nickels held out the phone screen to me. 

“I’m pretty sure you didn’t want to send it to a group chat called _House of Lamentation_ , now did you, Aminata?” 

Chat: _House of Lamentation_

Me: - _Sent an image-_

_Results Summary:_

_100% Switch_

_66% Dominant_

_64% Vanilla_

_63% Masochist_

_63% Submissive_

_61% Rope Bunny_

_60% Primal (Hunter)_

_58% Sadist_

_58% Experimentalist_

_57% Rigger_

_55% Non-Monogamist_

_53% Primal (Prey)_

_51% Owner_

_46% Brat_

_46% Brat Tamer_

_45% Exhibitionist_

_44% Daddy/Mommy_

_43% Slave_

_36% Degrader_

_32% Voyeur_

_16% Degradee_

_1% Pet_

_1% Boy/Girl_

_0% Ageplayer_

I felt my face pale and my hands turn sweaty… Shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! This chapter ending up taking a more unusual turn but I really enjoyed writing it so I hope you enjoyed it too. For now, until the chapters take a more mature turn, the rating of Miracles will remain T. I will have a warning in front of any chapter that has more adult themes until the rating of my story changes. Anyway, if you enjoyed this spicy chapter, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	23. Chapter 23: Do Demons Have Date Nights With Four?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The demon brothers learn something shocking about Claudia. Ashamed that she is the reason for this revelation, Aminata gives Claudia a makeover for her upcoming date with Beel but quickly a party of two becomes a party of four.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minor warning: BDSM is once again mentioned in this chapter but the allusions are minor so if you are sensitive to the topic, just skip the first half of the chapter.

“No, no, no!” Aminata howled in desperation as she grabbed my phone and started to recklessly tap on my phone. “I’m so, so, so sorry,” she gasped with a high voice. “Gah, how do I delete a photo?!” 

I said nothing, left in stunned silence. I couldn’t even accept the reality of the situation. 

_ They’ll know. They’ll all know my sexual preferences,  _ I thought, shocked, as I brought a hand up against my mouth.  _ They’ll judge me. They’ll think I’m some type of slut or pervert.  _

“Woah, Woah,” Nickels placed a hand on both of our shoulders. “Aminata, stop yelling, and just take a deep breath, okay?” He leaned towards her with a serious expression. “You're going to give yourself a panic attack and,” he changed his gaze towards me. “Get the kid all overwhelmed. Claudia,” he whispered, “I know you are embarrassed and scared, but I need you to not freak out.” Nickels slowly sat me down in a chair that was behind us. “Aminata, tell me when someone has read the text,” he commanded calmly. 

“This is so bad,” I muttered and blinked as my eyes started to water. “I don’t feel like I could ever be judged by the two of you but them… I don’t know,” I squeaked out, “They already judge me.” 

“W-Well they are demons, the most sinful creatures, like, ever!” Aminata blabbed as she twitched and bounced around. She couldn’t keep still. “So if they even dare judge you for being vulgar or whatever then they are hypocrites! Especially Asmo!” She huffed and let out a yelp as she looked down at my D.D.D. She held it away from her like it was a bomb that went off. “Ah, Ah! Someone’s read it! What do I do?!” 

“Let me see my phone,” I gulped as I held out my hand. Aminata almost threw it at me as she screeched. 

“Someone’s typing!!!” 

Chat:  _ House of Lamentation  _

Mammon:  _??? _

Mammon:  _ What’s this…?  _

Asmodeus:  _ Oh, looks like someone took the quiz I sent her! Hehehe _

“Ugh,” I threw my head back in annoyance. I just knew that my face was beet red. “What am I supposed to do?” I asked no one in particular. “I feel like I am screwed either way. If I respond, what am I supposed to say? And if I don’t, then I just look super guilty!” Nickels shrugged. Both him and Aminata had crowded around my chair and were reading over my shoulder. 

Mammon:  _ Huh? This some type of quiz? _

Leviathan:  _ khgdlglll;sfsj  _

Leviathan:  _ My fingers slipped. _

Leviathan:  _ Asmodeus, what are you talking about? Is this what I think it is? _

Mammon:  _??? Hello??? Why isn’t nobody answering my question?  _

Lucifer:  _ It appears to be a BDSM quiz.  _

Leviathan:  _ WHAT? _

Satan:  _ Stop blowing up my phone, I’m trying to read.  _

Satan:  _ Oh. How interesting.  _

Beelzebub:  _ What’s BDSM and how do you know about it Lucifer? _

Asmodeus:  _ I bet I know how he knows! ;)  _

Beelzebub:  _ What’s a switch? It doesn’t sound like food.  _

Mammon:  _ Not everything is about food, Beel! Ain’t a switch those things in prisons?  _

Satan:  _ Yes, they are typically makeshift weapons that are commonly found in prisons but that's not what it means in this context.  _

“No, no,” I laughed, “Let’s just say that it is a weapon in this case!” I yelled at my phone.

Lucifer:  _ Asmodeus. Regarding your earlier comment, what did you mean by saying it was a quiz you sent “her”? Who was it? Answer me.  _

Asmodeus: _ Oh well, I sent a BDSM quiz to Aminata, you all know Aminata, a few minutes ago.  _

Asmodeus:  _ She was bored at work so I made her day a little more interesting.  _

Mammon:  _ So ya saying this weird sexual stuff is Aminata’s? Why the heck did Claudia send it to us?  _

“Hey!” Aminata whined. “Tell your boy toy Mammy to not be so mean!” 

“Boy toy?!” I almost choked on my spit. “MAMMON is not my boy toy!” I sighed and turned my gaze back to my phone. I hoped and hoped they didn’t realize that the results were my own but I knew that was next to impossible. 

Satan:  _ Because it’s Claudia’s results. Aminata must have made her take the quiz.  _

I felt my stomach drop. 

Mammon:  _!??  _

Leviathan:  _ No WAY.  _

Beelzebub:  _ I still don’t know what BDSM is…?  _

Asmodeus:  _ Couldn’t everyone tell? I know Aminata well enough to know her tastes and that’s not it. Claudia, you surprised me. How naughty. I never knew you have a dominant side! _

Lucifer:  _ Silence, Asmodeus. We have not received a response from Claudia so I am assuming that she sent this picture on an accident.  _

Asmodeus:  _ I thought she would be 100% vanilla but who knew she had this in her? I wonder if it translates over to the bedroom.  _

“Oh my gosh,” I muttered as I shook my head. “I hate this so much.” 

“The best thing you can do,” Nickels ruffled my hair with a hand as he spoke, “Is to act like nothing big happened. You just have to be confident.” Easier said than done. 

Lucifer:  _ Everyone, ignore the picture, and do NOT save a copy of it.  _

Asmodeus:  _ Awww, no fair. I already saved a copy! _

Mammon:  _ Delete it.  _

Satan:  _ Delete it.  _

Lucifer:  _ Delete it.  _

Beelzebub:  _ Levi. _

Leviathan:  _ What???  _

Beelzebub:  _ I’m coming to your room to use your computer. I need to look up something.  _

Beelzebub:  _ Oh, and Claudia.  _

Beelzebub:  _ I’ll pick you up at 8 :)  _

“He’s the sweetest,” I whispered as I set down my phone and gently pushed it away. I couldn’t stand to look at anymore. 

“Wait, 8? Tonight?” Aminata’s dark chocolate eyes went wide. “What’s he talking about?” She grabbed my shoulder. “Girly, are you going on a date with your new man? And you didn’t tell me?” 

“Beel’s not my new man!” I snapped, embarrassed. I relaxed a little as I fiddled with a strand of my long hair. “And um… He didn’t say it wasn’t a date so I probably shouldn’t assume anything.”

“But it’s still a big deal to you, isn’t it?” Nickels whispered as he pulled away to face us. “Kid, are you worried that tonight things will be awkward because of the quiz?”

“Don’t you already know?” I asked with a little edge but I had the intimidation of a crying puppy. 

“I feel so bad,” Aminata said solemnly as she loosened her grip on me. “I need to make it up to you,” she nodded with a smile. “You don’t have an outfit, do you?”

“I was going to wear my RAD uniform,” I responded. 

“No, no, no!” Aminata gasped, becoming more of her animated self. “That will not do!” She grabbed my arm and I stumbled out of my seat. 

“Woah- huh?” She started to walk me towards the female dressing room. “What are you doing? Don’t we have to work?” Aminata giggled in response. 

“I’m going to doll you up as an apology for sending that image,” she was referring to the quiz results, “To the boys. Once any of them see you, they won’t even be able to remember what they said five minutes ago!” 

“But-” 

“No butts! And who’s gonna show up now?” She stopped walking and looked around the empty makeup store. “It’s raining, it’s late, and we have Nickels if anyone does come! Right Nickels?” 

“Mhm,” Nickels hummed with little interest as he pulled out the worn journal he always seemed to have on him. 

“Good enough, yeah?’ Aminata giggled as she pushed me into the dressing room. 

An hour later, Aminata eagerly pulled me behind her as she exited the changing room. Behind her curly wig, I could see Nickels leaning over the marble cashier counter, a land resting on it, as he casually talked to someone. 

“A retreat,” Nickels hummed. “Interesting. It’s Lord Diavolo’s orders, so Aminata won’t protest.” Nickels’ head tilted towards the witch who had me comically hidden behind her. “Ah, speak of the witch,” he chuckled, “Apparently Claudia has to go to a retreat to Lord Diavolo’s palace. I promised Beelzebub here that I would take over her shifts,” Nickels finished as he nodded at the Avatar of Gluttony who was on the other side of the counter. He wasn’t visible from behind a view of bouncy pink hair. I felt my eyes widened and my cheeks blush in surprise. 

_ Looks like Beel already here. I hope he likes how I look,  _ I thought nervously.  _ I usually dress up for myself, but I do feel empowered when my looks are admired by others.  _

“Beelie!” Aminata cheered as she tightened the grip on me. She was holding me like I was a present behind her back. “It’s good to see you again soooo soon. Perfect timing too,” she admitted slyly. 

“Hey, Aminata,” Beel’s deep voice echoed. “Um, is that Claudia behind your back?” 

“Oh, pff, nevermind her for a moment!” Aminata bobbed her head side to side. I let out an annoyed huff against her back. “What’s all this about a retreat? Is Dia stealing away my favorite girly for some spontaneous plot? How typically,” she snorted with amusement. She didn’t seem surprised in the slightest. 

“Yup, that’s right,” Beel responded. “Lord Diavolo has planned some exchange student retreat. We’re leaving for the royal castle tomorrow. Mmm,” He moaned with anticipation. “All the food…” 

“Well fiddlesticks,” the witch muttered. “I don’t blame you Girly for this Dia business, but now Nickels has to take your Saturday shift.”

“Sorry,” I meekly whispered into her ear. 

“Oh well!” Aminata loudly declared. “Enough about food Beelie, I have something even better than food to show you!” She announced to Beel with a buzz. 

“...Does it have something to do with Claudia being behind you?” Beel asked, confused. I heard a chuckle escape from Nickels’ mouth. 

“No- oh wait,” Aminata paused. “Yeah it does, but no peeking,” she giggled. “Oh, who am I kidding? You can peek cause I’m about to show you what I am talking about!” Aminata jumped out of my way and pushed me towards Beel. 

“Woah,” I let out a light laugh as I struggled to keep myself balanced. Once I glanced down at my nude heels to make sure that I was okay, my honey eyes traveled up Beel’s fit frame to meet his deep and swirling eyes. 

“Oh.”

“Hey Beel,” I whispered with a little wave. 

Beelzebub couldn’t pull his eyes away from me and I hoped that it was because of the tight red long-sleeved dress that fit my form perfectly or the flawless winged eyeliner that Aminata did for me or the sparkling earrings that brushed against my newly curled hair. I shot a look back at Aminata with an excited smile. 

_ Yup, this makes up for sending that BDSM quiz to the group chat,  _ I told myself and made a mental note to forgive Aminata for her careless mistake. 

“You look really nice,” Beel finally spoke up after being stunned into silence (Aminata’s words, not mine. She spent days bragging about my makeover after that night). 

“Thank you,” I directed my smile towards Beel. “I didn’t realize you would come inside to pick me up. I hope you didn’t get too rained on?” I flashed him a concerned smile because peaking over at the windowed entrance of Devhora. The previously severe storm that raged outside an hour ago had dwindled into a few faint droplets. 

_ Huh, well looks like we don’t have to worry about the weather. What a minute,  _ I thought as I squinted a little. Parked outside on the curb was Mammon’s yellow, and honestly obnoxious, sports car. 

“Did Mammon let you drive his car?” I blinked in surprise. “He didn’t really seem excited about our future plans earlier.” Beel physically tensed up. 

“Um, about that,” he scratched the back of his head, unsure what to say. “I had to make a deal with him.” Now I was even more confused but Beel just gently reached around and placed his hand on my shoulder and waved to Nickels and Aminata with his other. “We’re going to go now. Have a good night,” he farewelled curtly and led me towards the door.

“Byebye, have fun Girly, Beelie!” I heard Aminata call out before we stepped outside. I shook my head with a giggle. I couldn’t get over how Aminata could call the greatest and most powerful demons in the Devildom “Lucy,” “Beelie,” and “Mammy” without any protest at all. It made me question just how powerful Aminata really was.

Speaking of “Mammy,” the driver’s side window of Mammon’s car rolled down and both Mammon and Levi were sitting in the front. 

“Aye, hands off the human!” Mammon snapped and Levi seriously nodded as he typed away on his phone. Beel let out a sharp breath as he slowly removed my hand from me. 

“Mammon? Levi?” I raised an eyebrow. “What are you-” I looked up at Beel who nervously glanced around. “- What are they doing here?” 

In a flash, my party of two became a party of four. Apparently, that morning after I had left the student council office, Mammon had persistently grilled and harassed Beel up until the point he snapped and just told him that he might as well come along if he was going to be so noisy. 

“Also,” Beel had whispered to me into the backseat of the car on our way to Hell’s Kitchen, “Mammon’s birthday is on the 10th so I felt like I had to let him come along.” Although a little frustrated about the situation, I understood that the gentle giant that was the 6th brother was sometimes too nice for his own good. 

_ The 10th,  _ I mused,  _ looks like Mammon and I are both September babies. Man, the 10th is Thursday. That’s a week from now. I have to plan something fast.  _ I decided that I would worry about Mammon’s birthday later as I turned my attention to Levi who was bickering about how his older brother had “Trashy normie tastes” in music. 

“And what about Levi?” I muttered as I leaned in closer to Beel, not wanting to insult Levi in any way by him hearing our hushed conversation. Beel went on to explain that Levi found out about our plans while Beel was in his room using his computer. He apparently got so jealous that he demanded that he be taken along as payment for letting Beel use his computer. Beel had to leave to go pick me up soon and he knew that if he argued back, Levi would refuse to let him leave his bedroom until he agreed to his ridiculous terms. 

All I could do was laugh in disbelief as I shook my head. A part of me was happy that Levi and Mammon were so invested in who I spent my time with, but another part of me was irritated by their immaturity. 

_ Oh well,  _ I mentally sighed.  _ I guess I’ll just have to roll with the situation.  _ I leaned away from Beel and glanced out the window on my side. In the distance, I could see the notorious Hell’s Kitchen with its neon purple trim and its large silverware sign. We had arrived. 

“Have anything off the menu you want, Claudia,” Beel grinned at me with excitement. All four of us were seated around a large round table near the restaurant's bar. The place was elegant but had a lively atmosphere to it. Parties of various sizes chatted away among the sounds of clicking wine glasses and the shuffling of stressed looking employees.

“I know you said that the only thing you wanted was to make a pact with me, but I don’t feel like that’s enough,” Beel explained. 

“So that’s why you wanted to celebrate,” I smiled softly in return as I scanned the Hell’s Kitchen menu in my hands. 

“That’s right, so order whatever you want. Anything at all.”

“Right,” Mammon loudly cheered, “Don’t mind if I do! Time to order big… real big!” I rolled my eyes and shook my head. 

“Ooh,” Levi gasped next to me with excitement as he glanced over his menu. “They have food from the human world…!” I peaked over to see what he was talking about and I was surprised to see a human food section. 

_ Would you look at that, this place does have… normal food,  _ I thought with amazement. It had been weeks since I had any type of food from the human realm and I was honestly missing it. 

“Like this here,” Levi went on as he pointed at one of the dishes listed. “This is what Minoka ate in  _ Help! I’m an Evil Overlord- How Discovering That My Classmate Was a Witch Set Me on a Course to Become Supreme Ruler of Another Dimension.  _ They actually have it here…!” Beel let out a drained sigh. 

“I really wanted it just to be the two of us,” Beel explained to me with a frown. “If you don’t stop being annoying, I’m going to make you both leave,” He glanced at said annoying brothers. 

“Hey, come on,” Mammon punched Beel’s arm. “What’s the harm in havin’ us tag along, huh? Don’t be such a killjoy!” 

“Order first,” Levi said, imitating Yoda, “We should. Talk later, we can.”

“Just so we’re clear,” Beel almost growled, “I’m not paying for either of you guys.”

“Now come on, Beel,” Mammon rolled his eyes, “Even if there were ten of us here with you, we still wouldn’t be able to eat as much as you do on your own. Payin’ for us won’t set ya back that much.” 

“It’s not about the money,” the younger brother clarified. “But I’m still not paying.”

“Begin by ordering drinks, I will,” Levi hummed as he picked up the alcohol menu and scanned over the wine and whiskey options. 

“You turin’ into one of your 2D characters again, Levi?” Mammon asked as he crossed his arms and leaned back in his wooden chair.

“I don’t know if you could consider Yoda a 2D character,” I giggled with a snort. 

“You like  _ Star Wars _ ?” Levi’s eyes widened. “Wait,” he glared at me with suspicion. “A lot of normies like  _ Star Wars _ so don’t think this makes you cool or anything.” 

“I only like the first three movies,” I clarified. “I own the remastered edition on VHS and have a bunch of old 80’s Star Wars toys that belonged to my parents.” Our conversation quickly turned into a more nerdy one as Levi and I talked about our favorite battle scenes and  _ Star Wars-themed _ events we have been to. 

“See now this,” Mammon spoke up at one point as he shook his head, “This is why ya two nerds are in a pact together. Forget the whole TSL whatever business. You two wouldn’t even be in a pact if it wasn’t for the fact that ya are both geeks.”

“I know,” I smirked brightly as I glanced over at Levi who only glanced away with an embarrassed blush. 

“But what I don’t get is why are ya in a pact with Beel,” Mammon admitted. Our waiter came by to our table with our steaming hot plates and started to set the dishes down. Beel licked his lips eagerly at them but his spot was left empty. The waiter excused themselves to go retrieve Beel’s several plates and Mammon spoke up once the waiter had departed. “You made a pact with me cause Levi wanted revenge and then you got into a pact with Levi to get the TSL soundtrack. So what about Beel? You got some kind of reason for that?”

“Well,” I hesitated. I couldn’t tell the brothers the whole truth but I decided to tell them what I had previously told Beel: I wanted to earn Lucifer’s respect and make Lucifer and Belphegor talk out their problems. 

“...Mmm, interesting,” Mammon hummed as he cut into his howler cow steak with his knife. “So you’re hopin’ to get Lucifer and Belphine to make up, huh?” He asked after hearing my explanation.

“And that’s why you decided you’d make a pact with Claudia, Beel?” Levi asked as he sipped some of his drink; it was some type of demon alcohol that I was unfamiliar with. 

“Well,” Beel looked over at me with a serious expression. “That’s not the only reason, but yeah, we both want the same thing.”

“Claudia,” Mammon sighed in hushed disbelief, “Do ya really think you can do this? I mean,” he glanced down as he ran a hand through his thick hair. “We’re talkin’ about Lucifer here.”

“I’m not the most optimistic person,” I admitted as I fiddled with the fork in my hand, “But I have to do this so I know- not believe- that I can do this.”

“I’ve always thought it was impossible, so I gave up on trying,” Beel confessed. “But if you never try, you’re guaranteed not to succeed, right?”

“Right,” the two of us shared a private smile. 

“If you ask me,” Mammon peevishly responded, “There’s no chance this’ll work.”

“This isn’t a game you can win,” Levi said seriously as he nodded along to what Mammon said. 

“This is a family issue that affects all of us brothers, but think about it: has anyone ever tried to solve it, whether it was us or anyone else?” Beel asked, bring up a valid point. “Who’s ever offered to help those two make up?”

“No one, I guess,” Mammon mumbled. 

“Nope, nobody,” Levi said louder. 

“Sure, this might be impossible,” Beel sighed, “We might end up giving up and accepting that it won’t happen.” I reached over out of instinct and tenderly squeezed Beel’s hand that was resting on the table. “But,” Beel smiled at my touch, “We can at least give it a shot before deciding it can’t be done. It doesn’t hurt to try.” 

The brothers were left in thoughtful silence for a few seconds, carefully thinking over what their younger brother had brought up. I only hoped that they both would have faith in us. 

“...Well,” Mammon shrugged. “Now that ya put it that way, I guess I could help out. I mean,” he stabbed his steak in frustration, “I can’t deny that this thing with Lucifer and Belphine affects all of us.”

“Agreed,” Levi mumbled into his wine glass. 

“Then it’s settled,” Beel nodded and I felt my heart swell with excitement. 

“Thank you, really guys,” I said sincerely as I slowly removed my hand from Beel’s, blushing. I took a sip of my water as Mammon got excited. 

“We need to come up with a name for this team of ours!”

“...A name?” Beel gave the Avatar of Greed a questionable look. “Do we really need a name?”

“Course we do!” Mammon almost seemed offended about the prospect of not having a team name. “We’ve gotta figure these things out, get our ducks in a row before we do anything else. It promotes spirit, you know? Makes you more likely to succeed!” I let out a jolly laugh at the ridiculous nature of Mammon’s proposal. 

“Okay, okay,” I smugly smiled. “If it makes you happy Mammon, then sure. Let’s have a team name. Any ideas?” 

“‘Evil Genesis DEMONGELION’,” Levi said without a beat. 

“Nah,” Mammon shuttered. “Too obvious. We should give it a cooler-soundin’ name. You know, like ‘Solomon and His 72 Demons’.”

“Wait, WHAT?” I gasped, shocked. “Are you saying that Solomon, the Solomon we know, has a pact with 72 demons?!” 

“...Hey, I know!” Mammon slammed his fist on the table with a wide grin before anyone could confirm or deny Mammon’s statement. “How about ‘Mammon and His 3 Servants’?!” 

I gave a Mammon a death glare while his two brothers opted to ignore him. 

“...Ooh,” Levi gasped as he conventionally pulled out his phone and started to scroll through it. “This is the limited edition item I was looking for,” he nudged me and I leaned over to glance at his phone screen. “It was out of stock on Akuzon, but now it’s back!” He explained with excitement. 

“Mmm,” Beel licked his lips and rubbed his hands as he saw our waiter come back pushing a cart that carried all of the dishes that Beel had ordered for himself. “This all looks delicious.”

“Hey, come on, don’t ignore me!” Mammon yelled. We never did decide on a team name, but all that mattered was that I had an enjoyable evening with my friends as we chatted away and ate.

“You sure are back late,” I jumped at the sound of Lucifer’s rich voice and turned to see him waiting in the entrance hall. I had just entered the House of Lamentation after arriving from Hell’s Kitchen. I didn’t expect to see Lucifer the moment I had walked inside. He was standing on one of the twin staircases. He started to make his way down the stairs towards me, a gloved hand guiding itself on the smooth railing. “Did you go out to eat with Beel and the others?” The other merry three of our party had entered the house before me while I had stayed behind in the car for a few more lingering moments to reply to a text I had received from Aminata. She was eager to know how my date had gone. 

“Yes, I did.” I shyly replied and felt one of my hands snake up to my curly hair and play with it. 

“I noticed that Mammon and Levi were with you. I was worried whether they’d be able to put their differences aside at first, but it seems like they’re getting along well,” Lucifer smiled. His smile was a rarer sight, but whenever I saw it, I always found myself entranced by it. 

“It’s a nice sight, don’t you agree?” I raised an eyebrow slightly as my gaze lingered on the eldest face. 

“Indeed it is,” he nodded. “Well, I came to let you know that the repairs to the kitchen are finally done and the wall to your room is fixed too. You should move back to your room once we return from Lord Diavolo’s retreat and start sleeping there again.” His request sounded more like a command than a suggestion. “That is all,” he declared as he turned away from me. I was left alone with my thoughts, feelings of relief falling over me. 

_ It’s not as if Beel is a bad roommate,  _ I reasoned,  _ but I do miss having my privacy.  _

I had walked in on Beel taking his shirt off or working out several times and it wasn’t as if it was a bad sight, not in the slightest, but I didn’t know how much more my heart could take. I didn’t know what I felt towards Beel much like Mammon and Levi, but I knew that it was growing stronger and stronger every day. 

The last thing I wanted was some foolish crush on the most powerful demons in the Devildom. I was lucky enough that three of them viewed me as a decent enough person to hang around. Little did I know that it was far too late. I had already fallen. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, hey guys, thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! On another note, I want to give you all insight into the next couple of chapters. The resort is such a heavy element of the story in Obey Me! and I don't want to take any of it away, however, I find that the arch tends to drag and not be as romantic as it could be so I will be adding some interesting elements in. This is especially true for the ball on the second night which honestly disappointed me. Cowards, let us dance with Mammon!


	24. Chapter 24: Do Demons go on Retreats?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia shares an intimate moment with Beel the evening after their date. The next morning, the gang heads out to the Demon Lord's Castle which is full of excitement regarding the retreat. Claudia learns all about what the retreat will hold and quickly finds out that she will be rooming with the last demon she would ever want to be left in a room alone with. Things are about to get complicated.

“...Claudia, are you awake?” I heard Beel softly call out into the dark from the couch. I surprisingly was actually awake. As a heavy sleeper, it was often hard for anyone to wake me up. However, I had been awake for the past two hours, silently laying in Beel’s bed as my mind raced with so many questions. When I didn’t reply, I heard Beel sit up. “Well, either way, it doesn’t matter. I need you to listen to what I’ve got to say.”

“I’m awake, I’m awake,” I muttered as I slowly sat up. All I could see was the faint outline of Beel’s form. “I’m listening,” I told him softly. 

“You remember how I told you about Lilith, right? Well,” his voice started to tremble, “Sometimes I dream about her, and they’re not happy dreams. They’re the sort of dreams you don’t want to have.”

“Oh no, Beel…” I whispered as I leaned forward. 

“Long ago, back when we were in the Celestial Realm, I asked her a question: Lilith, if you had to choose between saving either me or Belphine, who would it be? She,” Beel let out a soft laugh full of so much raw emotion before continuing, “She just looked at me and said, ‘both of you!’ Now,” I could hear Beel move around in the dark as he spoke, “Everything I just told you really did happen… But,” his voice sounded afraid and lonely. “When I dream about it, it doesn’t end there. Lilith and Belphine disappear, and I’m left all alone. Everything is pitch-black,” Beel whispered, “And suddenly I’m falling. Falling down through a void...” 

“Beel,” I called out to him and he didn’t say anything. “Come here,” I moved over to one side of the bed and patted it. “Come sit with me.” He said nothing in return but I saw him move from the couch and over to the bed. He awkwardly sat down on the edge. I was about to reach out for him but he spoke and I paused. 

“Would it be okay if…” He hesitated. “If I held your hand, Claudia? Just for a little bit,” he sounded embarrassed. “Until I fall asleep.”

“Of course you can,” I laughed like it was ridiculous that he thought he even had to ask. “Sleep here tonight Beel,” I whispered with confidence I didn’t know that I had. “You shouldn’t be alone. I’m here for you.” I gently pulled him closer to me and laid back down. He followed my lead and laid down facing me. We looked at each other in the dark, only the outlines of our faces visible. I held my hand out and his warmer and larger hand grasped it. 

“Thanks,” he smiled at me.

“Beel?” I whispered, one of the questions lingering in my mind was ready to escape.

“Mm?” 

“What was Lilith like?” 

“Lilith,” he whispered like her name was holy and precious, “Was like the sun. She was bright and warm. Her laugh always lit up every room she entered.” I curled up closer to Beel as I listened to him talk. “Belphegor would tell you that she was weird, but she just had such a unique outlook on life, especially humans. She would always tell me, ‘Beel, you know those humans down there? We aren’t so different from them. We’re just as flawed and emotional as them.’ Lucifer used to always chastise her for saying stuff like that. I just thought it was Lilith being Lilith,” his voice got caught in his throat, emotion seeping through his speech. “But now I think she was right.”

“Hey, it’s okay, it’s okay,” I reached over with my free hand and ran a hand through his hair. “She sounds like such a great person, a great and wise person. I can see just how much you love her. That love is admirable and pure and I hope it lasts forever.” I smiled as I saw Beel’s deep eyes close to the sound of my hushed voice. “In fact, I know it will…. Goodnight Beel.”

“Goodnight Claudia,” he barely muttered. I watched the demon relax and drift away to the land of dreams once more. At peace with the situation, I closed my eyes before slowly opening them again, a sneaky thought slipping into my mind.

_ It wouldn’t be a bad thing if I kissed his forehead, right? _

Too tired to be rational or embarrassed, I lifted my head from the pillows it was resting on and placed a faint kiss on Beel’s forehead. I pulled away and waited to see if I would get a reaction. I relaxed and once again closed my eyes when I realized that Beel was not disturbed from his slumber. I quickly fell asleep after that, still holding onto Beel’s hand with mine. Embraced in each other's warmth and comfort, the two of us went through the remainder of the night without any disturbances. 

“All right!” Mammon let out a holler as he jumped with excitement. “It’s finally time for our retreat! Three days and two nights! Claudia,” he turned to me with a cute expression, “Are you pumped for this or what?!”

“Wooo,” I lightly cheered as I looked up from my clipboard. “Yeah, I’m excited,” I admitted with way less energy than Mammon. 

“ALL RIIIGHT!” Mammon gripped onto my shoulders and shook me. “Now that’s what I wanna hear!” I tensed up from Mammon’s excited yelling and once he let go of me I stumbled back and reached out for my suitcase with my free hand to prevent myself from falling back. Mammon, the rest of the demon brothers (except Lucifer), and I were in the entrance hall of the House of Lamentation ready to leave for Lord Diavolo’s mystical castle. Bags of different colors and styles were respectfully crowded around the brothers they belonged to and I was doing a headcount to see if everyone was ready and had everything. 

“Mammon,” Levi groaned and looked up from the phone in his hand to give his brother a death glare, “You’re being really loud.”

“Aw, what’s wrong with you, Levi?” Mammon asked as he turned his attention to the third eldest. “Get that grumpy look off your face, killjoy!” I only slightly paid attention to their conversation as I looked back down at the clipboard that had a slip of paper with a checklist on it. Lucifer had been the one who put me in charge of making sure everyone was ready and prepared for our trip and I wasn’t about to disappoint. “Ah, I know what’s goin’ on here,” I heard Mammon exclaim. “You stayed up real late last night playin’ games and readin’ manga and stuff, didn’t ya?” He didn’t wait for Levi to respond before continuing. “Yup, I knew it! One point for Mammon!”

“You’re like,” Levi muttered, “Too excited right now, Mammon, and it’s really annoying.” 

“Mammon being annoying is nothing new,” I looked up to see that Satan had chipped in a comment. “But yeah… this morning he’s ESPECIALLY annoying,” he shot the second born a glare. 

_ Hm,  _ I hummed as I looked back down at the clipboard and tapped my pen up against it in a rhythm.  _ It seems that everyone is packing light except for Levi. I’m sure some bags are just for his gamer setup. Beel’s bag looked weirdly stuffed, I bet most of what is in there is food. Asmodeus left the room a few minutes ago so I’m sure he’s bringing down more bags… Gah, how are we going to fit all of this in the SUV? Are we taking different cars then? I need to ask Lucifer when he arrives. _

“At first you were complaining about how this retreat was going to be a drag,” Levi reminded Mammon about his earlier attitude.

“Ah, shut up, both of you,” Mammon snapped, sounding flustered. I looked up towards him to see that his tan face had a deep blush on it. I couldn’t help but smile at how cute his expression was. “Sure, I thought it was gonna be a drag, but now that it’s actually time to go, I’m excited!!! Anythin’ wrong with that. Huh?!”

“What are you,” Satan snorted, “An elementary school kid about to head off on a field trip?”

“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with being excited,” I brought up. I noticed Asmodeus entered the room from the corner of my eye. I hadn’t spoken to him in person since the incident with Eisheth because I was beyond embarrassed about… well, everything. I wasn’t a confrontational person and I feared what he had to say about how I had spoken to him. Not only was I worried about his response, but I knew that if I spoke one word to him, then he would pester me about the BDSM quiz results that were sent to the household group chat. I was thankful that none of the brothers had yet to mention it and I hoped it would never be brought up again. I was NOT ready to have a conversation about my sexual preferences with a bunch of attractive and powerful demons. That was a new type of weird that I wasn’t ready to handle yet.

“Well,” I cleared my throat. “It looks like we are all here so how about we start grabbing stuff to take out to the car… or cars.” 

“Gotta!” Mammon grinned, still full of excitable energy. “Woah, Beel,” his eyes widened as he noticed the cramped duffle bag that the Avatar of Gluttony had picked up, “That bag of yours is waaay too big! Pff,” he smirked, “I bet it’s stuffed with food, ain’t it?”

“Well,” He nodded towards the Avatar of Lust, “What about Asmodeus? I’d say he’s the one you should be criticizing when it comes to luggage.” I followed Beel’s gaze to Asmodeus’ matching and large set of luggage. I felt my jaw drop. 

_ Yup, we definitely need to take more than just the SUV.  _

“Gooooood morning, everyone!” He waved to everyone now that the attention was on him. “My, you’re all early! Ugh,” he fluffed his stylish and flawless hair “I just couldn’t decide how I wanted to do my hair this morning, you know? It took so much time and then I had to drag down all my bags…”

“Asmodeus,” Satan sighed, “WHY do you have so much luggage anyway?’

“Yeah,” Mammon nodded, “It’s only for two nights, ya know? You think you’re headin’ off on a tour of the three worlds or somethin’?”

“This is actually quite a bit less than what I wanted to bring,” Asmodeus said with a huff. I glanced down at my lone suitcase as I slipped the clipboard under my arm. 

_ Seriously? Holy hell.  _

“But then,” Asmodeus went on, “It occurred to me that I only have two hands, so I could only bring what I could carry.” 

“Actually, larger doujinshi artists generally ship their stuff when they go to conventions,” Levi sprouted out a random tidbit of knowledge. 

“Don’t give him ideas, Levi,” I yelled in a hushed tone.

“Sorry Levi,” Amsodues blankly looked back at his brother, “But I’m not sure what you’re even talking about right now.” 

“So what do you have in there?” Beel asked curiously as he walked up to study Asmodeus’ two large suitcases that were on either side of him. “Food?”

“Ugh, no, of course not. I’m not you, Beel!” Asmodeus crossed his arms. “I guess most of it is just clothes, makeup, and random beauty products? I mean,” he beamed, “Everyone expects me to look my best at all times, now don’t they?”

“Man,” Mammon rolled his eyes, “Even LEVI makes more sense than you, Asmo!”

“It looks like everyone’s here,” Lucifer remarked as he entered the entrance hall, the last to arrive. “It won’t do to keep Diavolo waiting,” he explained sternly to us as he walked over to me and held out his hand. I quickly handed the clipboard and pen to him. “We should head over to the Demon Lord’s Castle right now. I want to get there before the angels and Solomon do.” 

_ This retreat is not a competition, Lucifer, _ I thought and tried not to roll my eyes. I hated being late, but I never showed up to places or events with any sort of “competition” in mind. 

“So, we’re going to the Demon Lord’s Castle…” Mammon said quietly next to me. He lightly bumped my arm as he addressed me. “I hope you’re ready, Claudia, ‘cause there ain’t no guarantee you’ll come back from this alive, ya know?” I felt my eyes widened and my stomach twist in knots. I thought back to the joke I had made during the student council meeting yesterday:  _ “I’ll either be walking into a Disney Castle or onto the set of a horror movie.” _ I didn’t know what to expect.

“I know you want Claudia to be interested in you, but you do realize it sounds as if you’re trying to scare someone, don’t you Mammon?” Satan asked with an amused expression. 

_ Interested in me?  _ I almost gasped as Satan’s comment. 

“What?!” Mammon squawked, his face red. “Whaddya mean?! Pff,” he tried acting cool but his words almost sounded… mean. “Why would I want Claudia to be interested in me, huh?” I frowned in disappointment but I don’t think anyone noticed. “There are a lotta rumors about that place, that’s a fact,” Mammon said, changing the subject back to the royal castle. “From what I hear, there are ghosts wanderin’ the halls, y’know?”

“Well, what I heard is that there’s an underground labyrinth beneath the castle,” Satan gossiped back. 

“So, ghosts and an underground labyrinth, huh…?” Mammon scrunched up his nose. “I could totally believe both of those rumors, but at the same time-” 

“Quit standing around and get going!” Lucifer yelled at the three of us. Everyone else was already walking out the door with all of their bags. 

“Right, right. I’m comin’...” Mammon mumbled as he picked up his bag and we all headed outside. After loading up all of the luggage into the family’s SUV, we all discovered that only the driver’s seat and passenger seat were available. While the brother’s bickered about whose cars were going to be used and who would drive, Lucifer commanded my attention with his sharp and piercing eyes. He stood away from the cluster of bickering brothers. 

“Claudia.”

“Yes?”

“Ride with me in the SUV. “ It was an order. 

“Um, sure, I will,” I awkwardly approached the eldest and moved to get into the passenger seat of the black SUV. 

“Woah, hey!” Mammon whined. “Why does Claudia get to ride with you?” 

“Because,” Lucifer explained in a threatening tone, “We are in a hurry, and do you think it is wise to dare question me, Mammon?” Mammon gulped in returning, shutting up quickly. “Asmodeus, Satan, ride together in one car and Beelzebub, Mammon, and Leviathan ride in the other. We will all arrive at the same time so don’t any of you dare stop somewhere on the way.” And with that final warning, Lucifer stepped into the SUV. 

“See you guys again soon!” I bid my farewells with a smile as I got in. I nervously glanced over at Lucifer as I silently slipped on my seatbelt. Lucifer drove in silence, seeming not interested in starting a conversation. I decided to speak up first, getting twitchy from the silent tension that threatened to swallow me up.

“Sooo,” I started to say casually as I glanced out at the city scenery that surrounded us. “Beel told me that Mammon’s birthday was on Thursday. Have you guys planned anything? I know we will be busy all weekend, but I’d like to plan something for him.”

“Feel free to do so,” Lucifer responded. “Mammon always views his birthday as an excuse to spend all of his wealth on something ridiculous so I never plan anything for him. If you could prevent him from wasting all of the money on his credit card then I would more than appreciate it.” 

“I can do that. I was planning on using my own money anyway,” I chipperly responded as I pulled away from the window. “I really want to treat him on his special day.”

“...You once told me that your birthday is in September as well,” Lucifer’s eyes flickered towards me before being pulled back to the road. “You’ll be turning 18. When is it?” 

“Oh…” I blinked in surprise. 

_ Wait, Lucifer remembers that I told him my birthday was in September? I’m surprised he remembers because I think I told him on one of my first days in the Devildom. It’s not hard to remember, but I didn’t think he cared enough to bother remembering. _

“It’s on the 23rd,” I responded softly, a little touched. 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I swore that his lips graced me with a smile. “Ah, do you see that in the distance? That’s Lord Diavolo’s royal castle.” 

“Where?” I asked as I traced my honey eyes along the gothic rooftops of the buildings along the road until I landed on the castle. “It’s beautiful,” I gasped as I took in the large structure that dotted the horizon. A gothic beauty that RAD seemed to be modeled off of, the Lord Demon’s castle was a marvel dead center in the Devildom with a spanning yard that connected to the lake. With an almost purple aura to it, the castle was dripping with a menacing yet mystical atmosphere. Several black towers stretched up from the castle, touching the eternal night sky. I remained in awe throughout the rest of the drive and started to get jittery when we passed through the gates guarded by soldiers in uniforms. 

After parking where we were directed by servants waiting for us, we were led through the entrance of the castle. Little demons that looked like black blobs snaked around the cars and pulled out our luggage. After being silently led down a few halls, we entered a sparkling ballroom. 

“Wow,” I gasped as I spun around in circles, taking in as much as I could of the glorious golden castle. Lord Diavolo stood by twin staircases in the ballroom with his loyal butler, Barbatos, at his side. 

“Well, good morning,” he called out as he started to walk towards us. “I must say, I couldn’t wait for you to arrive!”

“Welcome to the Demon Lord’s Castle,” Barbatos greeted us with a light bow. “It’s a pleasure to have you here.”

“Good morning, Diavolo,” Lucifer spoke up first, acting as the head of our group. “And you too, Barbatos,” he shifted his gaze to the butler. “Well,” he spoke up with pride as he attempted to casually glance around, “It seems that neither Solomon nor the angels have arrived yet, have they?” I sighed and rolled my eyes, a playful smile tugging at the corners of my lips. 

_ He really thinks that we have to be the first ones here or else we will lose all of our honor, huh? Lucifer really is the Avatar of Pride.  _

“Man, now that’s just shameless,” Mammon blurted out. “Listen to you pretendin’ like you didn’t hurry over here, all frantic to make it to Lord Diavolo before Solomon and the angels could.”

“Mammon,” I hissed, horror washing over my face. “Do you want to be killed right here and now?”

“Hm?” Lucifer slowly turned towards his younger brother, all emotion void in his voice. His eyes said it all. He looked ready to kill on sight. He pressed down on Mammon’s foot with his polished shoe with harmful intent.“Did you say something Mammon?” Mammon let out a yelp of pain.

“OW, OW, OW!” He hissed and I took a step back, not wanting to be involved. “My foot! You’re steppin’ on MY FOOT, Lucifer…! Lucifer sir!”

“Well, Lucifer, Mammon,” Diavolo nodded towards the brothers with a gleeful expression. “I see that you two are getting along swimmingly as usual.”

“Define ‘swimmingly’,” I winched at the pair. Asmodeus just sighed and shook his head. 

“At least Mammon is predictable. No matter what, you can always count on him to act stupid…”

“Yeah,” Satan huffed, “It’s embarrassing to think that Solomon and the angels are about to get a front-row seat to all of Mammon’s idiocy.”

“WHAT?” Mammon barked as he turned to face his catty siblings.

“Just ignore them,” I pleaded as I grabbed onto Mammon’s arm. I didn’t want this entire trip to be a dumpster fire. 

“Ah, speaking of our other guests, they’ve just arrived,” Barbatos politely acknowledged. Simeon, Luke, and Solomon all entered together. “Hello, and good morning!” Simeon greeted us with an angelic smile. “We’ve already got quite the crowd here, don’t we?”

“You demons sure know how to get an early start,” Solomon hummed with a sparkle in his eyes. “I see you managed to get here before us.” I didn’t pay attention to them, my focus was on Luke. My face had lit up at the sight of Luke. The last time I saw my friend was when Lucifer was threatening to kill us all so it was nice to see him on better terms. Luke's face matched mine the moment he saw me. 

“Luke!” I cheered.

“....Claudia!” Luke beamed and ran over to instantly hug me. I welcomed his embrace and let out a sigh of relief as I hugged back. 

“What the…!” Mammon gasped as he stepped back from us. “HEY! What’s the big idea runnin’ up and huggin’ Claudia like that?!” Beel also seemed to be silently protesting as he gazed a hole into Luke. 

“Ugh,” Levi turned away, “THIS is why I can’t stand normies…” 

_ Are they jealous?  _ I raised an eyebrow at the trio.  _ But why? I view Luke as a child.  _

Before I had time to question the demons, Luke pulled away from our embrace, happiness dotting his features. 

“Claudia, I’m SO happy you’re alright…! So, SO HAPPY!” I laughed at the angel’s energy. “There aren’t even words…!” He gasped.

“What’s all this about?” Satan asked.

“I’m guessing he must feel responsible for what happened,” Asmodeus explained, leaning over to Satan. “...You know,” he loudly whispered, “For how Lucifer nearly attacked Claudia.”

“I’m so, so sorry, Claudia,” Luke profusely apologized as he gripped onto one of my arms. “You could’ve been hurt- or worse- and it was all my fault…”

“Luke, it’s okay, really,” I gently smiled as I ran a hand through a few of his blond strains. I noticed Mammon twitching with irritation. 

“It’s such a relief to see you safe and sound,” the angel explained, “I’ve been beside myself with worry…”

“It’s alright, it’s alright,” I told him gently. “I feel just as responsible for what happened. I got hurt because I choose to, so don’t worry about it. I’m just glad that you are also safe.”

“Are you actually an angel?” Luke asked me earnestly. “Is that it? An angel disguised as a human?” 

“I’ve heard rumors that Simeon and Diavolo met and mediated a solution together,” Solomon told the two of us before directing his words at Lord Diavolo and Simeon. “Is that right?”

“Yes, we did,” Simeon nodded, conforming Solomon’s suspicions.

_ Wait, _ I felt my eyebrows narrow with my thoughts,  _ Is this retreat meant to lessen the tensions from the trainwreck that was a few nights ago…? That makes sense, why hadn’t I seen it before? That’s why this all feels so spontaneous. _

“Indeed, yes. Isn’t that right, Lucifer?” Diavolo asked his right-hand man.

“...Yes,” Lucifer muttered, obviously not happy. I felt Luke tense up beside me and hide behind my long red plaid uniform skirt. Although we were not on campus, we all had on our RAD uniforms since the retreat was considered an event for the exchange program. Asmodeus giggled at Luke’s response. 

“Just look at the expression on Luke’s face,” he smirked, “He looks like a dog with his tail between his legs.” Satan shushed his brother. 

“He’ll hear you, Asmodeus.”

“All right then,” Lord Diavolo commanded everyone’s attention with his voice. “Now that we’re all here, perhaps we should go ahead and explain how this retreat is going to work.”

“Certainly, My Lord,” Barbatos nodded at his king before explaining. “The aim of this retreat is for demons, angels, and humans to intermingle so that each may gain a better understanding of the other.” 

“Well, as we’re stayin’ the night, I say the best way to intermingle is by havin’ a pillow fight!” Mammon suggested to the butler, grinning.

“I don’t know if I am really getting a sleepover vibe from this,” I weakly admitted. 

“Now then,” Barbatos placed his gloved hand on his chin, much like I did whenever I was deep in thought. “I’ll begin by explaining what we have planned for each day of the retreat.” 

“Wha..? Are you just going to ignore me?!” Mammon yelled. Apparently yes, Barbatos was going to indeed ignore Mammon.

“ROTFLMAO LOOOOOOL!” Levi yelled which just made my head hurt. 

“After you check your rooms to see if all of your belongings have been taken up to your rooms, we’ll begin with a tour of the Demon Lord’s Castle, where you’ll have the chance to learn about Devildom history.” My eyes lit up. As a studious nerd, I appreciated history in all forms. Although I was currently taking a Devildom History course at RAD, I was interested to see what I could learn from the castle. “We’ll be serving Devildom cuisine for dinner tonight,” Barbatos continued to list off the planned events for the evening, “And I’ve taken the liberty of volunteering to prepare tonight’s meal myself.”

“Mmm,” I glanced over to see that Beel was licking his lips. “Barbatos’ authentic Devildom cuisine…”

“Um, Beel,” Levi flinched as we noticed that he was starting to drool. “...You know you’re drooling.”

“Tomorrow,” the loyal butler went on, “We’ll be having a scavenger hunt.”

“...Eh? A what now?” Mammon asked as he scratched his head. 

“You don’t know what a scavenger hunt is?” I blinked in surprise. “It’s basically a game that is played in groups and you have to look for pictures and hints that help you hunt down hidden items or prizes. Each one’s a little different, but that’s the gist of it.”

“Each day, we plan to have a representative from one of the three worlds prepare a meal for us,” Barbatos explained. “So, tomorrow Luke will be making food from the Celestial Realm. I’m sure it will be quite a treat.”

“Food from the Celestial Realm, huh…” Beel grinned as his stomach loudly growled in response. 

“Was that your stomach growling just now, Beel?” Asmodeus asked with wide eyes. “Because for a moment I thought I heard thunder.”

“Remember Luke,” Simeon addressed the younger angel that peaked his head out from behind me. “You’re making DINNER. Which means more than just sweets, understand?”

“Aw… o-okay…” I giggled at the younger angel’s response. 

“Incidentally, there will also be a dance following dinner tomorrow,” Barbatos’ words made my heart flutter with excitement. Going to a ball sounded so romantic. “Then on day three- the final day- we’ll get to enjoy food from the human world for lunch, which Claudia will be preparing for us.” I felt my excitement instantly turn to panic. 

“H-Huh?” My face paled. “Woah, wait a minute… No one told ME about this and I’m not even sure I can do that…'' My mother was a masterful cook who’s every meal was filled with savory range while my range was… ramen and eggs. Sure, I made Mammon, Beel, and my lunches in the morning, but I always packed easy things such as cheese and fruit plates and sandwiches. 

_ I don’t think I could make something complicated… _ I thought, feeling stressed.  _ Especially to feed a small army. I also need to account for how much Beel can eat.  _

“There’s no need to try and make anything complicated,” Solomon remarked. “Even something simple would be an interesting treat for them. I haven’t gotten to eat human world food in a long time. I’m really looking forward to what you make, Claudia.” I frowned, too deep in thought to acknowledge Solomon’s words. I was trying to plan out what I would feed the expecting demons on Sunday.

“Well then,” Barbatos cleared his throat, “Why don’t we move on to the room assignments?”

“Lord Diavolo will be sharing a room with Lucifer.” 

_ Wait, _ I squinted face up in confusion,  _ Isn’t there enough rooms here for everyone to have their own room?  _ Lucifer seemed to have a similar question. 

“You have your own bedroom here, why share a room with me?” 

_ Because you two are dating- _ I wanted to blurt, a part of me joking and a part of me serious. Even after weeks of being in the Devildom, I still did not know the nature of Lucifer’s and Lord Diavolo’s relationship. Coworkers? Friends? Lovers? All of the above? 

“Why do you think?” Diavolo laughed as he wrapped an arm around his right-hand man’s shoulder. “Because this is a retreat, of course!”

“You certainly seem to be looking forward to this,” Lucifer sighed, not meeting Diavolo’s gaze. 

“Luke, Beelzebub, Leviathan,” Barbatos listed off the next names on his mental checklist. “You will be sharing a room.”

“Ooh, what’s this? Looks yummy…” Beel asked as he touched the keychain on Levi’s bag. It looked like a fried pie with a smiley face on it to me. Despite the fact that demon servants had grabbed our belongings, Levi had still brought a backpack in with him. 

“Hey!” Levi gasped once he noticed what Beel was touching and smacked it out of his hand. “That’s a FIGURINE keychain! It’s Ruri-chan’s pet Peetie the Pancake! It’s NOT edible!”

“I have a really, really bad feeling about this…” Luke sighed as he watched his future roommates bicker.

“Simeon, Asmodeus, Claudia, you’ll be sharing a room.” Mammon immediately tensed up just as much as I did but I expected for different reasons. I didn’t want to room with Asmodeus because I was avoiding him after what happened with Eisheth and the BDSM quiz.

“And Solomon, Mammon, Satan,” Barbatos listed off the last of the group, “You’ll be sharing a room as well. That covers everyone.” I glanced over Asmodeus, taking a deep breath. Like Lucifer, I couldn’t ignore the Avatar of Lust just because something uncomfortable had happened. I needed to make a pact with all of the brothers, and out of the remaining three, I thought that Asmodeus was my next best bet. 

“...Yo, Asmodeus.” Mammon slipped next to his brother. “Switch rooms with me!” He hissed. 

“...What? Why?” He seemed taken aback by Mammon’s request and I was too.

“Because, um…” he struggled. “Y’know. Solomon looks like he snores and… And Satan’s feet probably stink.” I giggled and shook my head at Mammon’s ridiculous claims. 

_ He really just wants to be with me, doesn’t he? But… _ I hesitated.  _ That almost seems too good to be true. I mean, he did get defensive whenever I had to stay in Beel’s room. _

“Well,” Solomon shook his head, “That’s an awfully rude thing to accuse me of and it’s not true.”

“My feet don’t smell, Mammon,” Satan snapped, irritated. “The truth is that you want to be in the same room as Claudia, don’t you?” I felt my cheeks heat up and I snuck a glance over at Mammon to see that he looked just as embarrassed 

“Wh?! You id…! N-No I don’t! Why would I want to share a room with Claudia! I mean… a human?!” Mammon blurted, flabbergasted. “And when you sleep in the same room as a human, their smell ends up rubbin’ off on ya. So you should be grateful I’m even willin’ to trade with ya! You should be HONORED actually.”

“Hey, I don’t smell bad,” I found myself mumbling, suddenly feeling self-conscious. 

_ I feel all giddy that he wants to share a room with me, _ I admitted to myself,  _ but it makes me feel bad that he just can’t admit it. Is there something wrong with me? _

“Look at how hard he’s trying to deny it, loool,” Levi snickered. 

“Ah…I see, so that’s why you want to switch rooms,” Asmodeus replied deadpan, before giggling. “Well, in that case, the answer is no. Too bad!”

“WHY NOT?!” Mammon basically screamed.

“Maybe because I enjoy seeing that bitter, frustrated look on your face?” Mammon growled in return but kept his tongue. Asmodeus laughed, enjoying every moment of Mammon’s suffering. “Yep, that’s the one! I really DO love that look!”

“How long do you all plan on goofing around?” Lucifer retorted as he paused, about to walk past us. Some people were already following Barbatos to their rooms.“Let’s go,” Lucifer clapped. “Time to take your belongings to your rooms,” he sighed and grabbed one of Mammon’s ears with a gloved hand and started to drag him along like a mother dragging a kid away from a neighborhood event after they had a meltdown in front of everyone. 

“OWWWWW! Hey! Lucifer, stop!” Mammon whined. “Quit pullin’ me along by the ear! Ugh, COME ON! What’d I do to deserve this, huh?!” His question landed on deaf ears. I was about to protest but Simon gently put a hand on my shoulder. 

“Come on Claudia, let’s go to our room,” he offered me a smile as he led the way. Asmodeus walked on the other side of me and I found that while surrounded by my two next roommates, I both dreaded and eagerly awaited what would come next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, I can't believe that I'm already on chapter 24! Thank you so much for everyone that has been following along with the story and for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	25. Chapter 25: Do Demons go on History Tours?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia settles in her new room and quickly butts heads with Asmodeus. The day continues as the group does the first activity of the day, a history tour. Everything goes fine until Claudia comes across a curious relic that seems more biotic than abiotic.

“Well, it seems we’ve gotten ourselves settled here in our room now,” Simeon declared. Simeon, Asmodeus, and I were in our new room which was a dark and circular room with three twin size beds separated by red surreal lamps that were shaped as human hearts that had roses sticking out of them. I found the light fixtures a mix of creepy and aesthetic. “Our belongings are in order,” he nodded towards our bags which were by our respected beds, “And we’ve decided who’ll be using which bed. So, Asmodeus, Claudia,” he smiled to both of us, “Let me take this opportunity to say that I look forward to sharing a space with the two of you these next few days.”

“Likewise,” I smiled up at Simeon from my bed. I was sitting on it, my feet dangling off the side. 

“Yes, me too,” Asmodeus declared as he turned towards us. He had been fixing his hair and studying his perfect face in the stand-alone mirror in our room for the past several minutes while Simeon and I had been unpacking. “And I have to say, Claudia, Simeon, you two certainly lucked out, now didn’t you!?” He clapped his hands together with a smug expression. “Considering you get to share a room with me.”

“Uh,” I blankly looked back, “I don’t follow…” If I had it my way, then I wouldn’t share a room with anyone. I preferred my privacy. 

“Well,” Simeon shrugged at me before looking back at the Avatar of Lust. “I suppose you could say we’re lucky to have you on the team.” Asmodeus merely laughed and waved off our indifference. 

“Now, now, there’s no need to hide how thrilled you really are right now. Stop and think about it for a moment. You’ll be sharing a room with me-” He paused as he put emphasis on the “me.” “-With Asmodeus himself.”

“And?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Which means you’ll be there to see me when I first wake up in the morning, after I step out of the shower, when I get sleepy, and start to doze off, when I’m changing clothes…”

“Umm…” I picked at my nails, unsure what I was supposed to be impressed about. 

“For three days and two nights,” Asmodeus gasped with animation, “You actually get to witness the most private sides of me. Now, if that’s not what you call amazing luck, I don’t know what is!”

I was left unimpressed while Simeon merely laughed. 

“I have to say,” Simeon wheezed in between his laughs, “You are really funny, aren’t you Asmodeus?”

“Funny?” Asmodeus looked like he just took a bite of something sour before gracing us with a pleasant smile. “I believe you mean beautiful. It’s okay, you can just come out and say it, you know? What sort of image did you have of me in the first place, Simeon?”

I only slightly paid attention to Asmodeus as I traced a finger along the sheets of my bed.  _ How arrogant,  _ I wanted to say out loud.  _ Sure, I find Asmodeus attractive but I’m not going to be squealing with joy over the prospect of sleeping in the same room as him or tripping over myself to suck his metaphorical dick-shaped ego.  _

“...Hm, let me think,” Simeon hummed as he sat down next to me on my bed. I peeked over at Simeon, interested in seeing what he had to say about Asmodeus. “Well, I suppose I still think of you the same way I did back when you were up in the Celestial Realm. ‘Lucifer’,” he started to quote something I was unfamiliar with, “‘The pride of the Celestial Realm, loved by all of creation… There was one angel he thought especially beautiful, one whom he praised and kept at his side. ‘Twas Asmodeus, jewel of the heavens’.”  __

“Yes… Yes, exactly. That’s me!” He cheered. 

“How poetic. It sounds like a quote from something,” I hummed. 

“A traveling minstrel wrote that about him once,” Simeon explained to me, “And it turned out to be an image that stuck. I suppose,” he directed his turquoise eyes back to Asmodeus, “I see you as someone who’s very attached to that reputation, and works day in and day out trying to live up to it.” 

“...Huh?”

I eagerly nodded along to Simeon’s words.

“That’s exactly it,” I almost smiled, glad that someone had noticed what I had as well. “I see the same thing.” I had my own personal views of the brothers that they weren’t aware of. As an actor and someone who has always had to closely study people to understand them, I could tear a person apart and break them down to who they really were. I had done that with the demon brothers, even if they didn’t know it. 

“So, you’re saying that your image of me is of someone who wants to be loved?” He cringed as if even the suggestion of such a thing was preposterous.

“Yes, I suppose that would be accurate,” Simeon said simply. 

“Mmm… I don’t feel like that’s a good description of me, personally,” Asmodeus claimed while his body language said otherwise. He was slightly hunched over and hugging his arms close to his chest. Simeon had hit a weak point. “I mean, naturally,” he reasoned, “I think no one in the three worlds is more deserving of love than I am. But that’s just common sense, now isn’t it? I mean, is there anyone out there who DOESN’T love me?”

_ Yes, _ I wanted to blurt out. 

“Hmm, I wonder,” Simeon hummed with a sparkle in his eye. He carefully looked over at me, his gaze not leaving me as he spoke. “If you were to ever come across a soul that you couldn’t charm- that you couldn’t control- how would you react? Hmm… It’s an interesting question,” he smiled, “Wouldn’t you agree, Claudia?” It was as if Simeon was aware that Asmodeus couldn’t charm me. I remembered my first day at the Devildom when Asmodeus attempted to charm me and failed almost instantly. 

“Claudia,” Asmodeus eagerly looked at me for an answer, “What do you have to say about this? You think there’s actually someone out there who doesn't love me?”

“Well, yeah,” I said without hesitation. “I mean-” 

“Ah, I see what’s going on here!” He almost laughed in return. “Both of you are jealous of me. That’s it, isn’t it?” I sighed and rubbed my temples. “Ugh, stop it you two,” Asmodeus flipped his hair back with a frown. “I can’t handle any more jealous people. I can barely tolerate Levi as it is… Though I suppose I CAN understand how you’d envy me. Really, Claudia, I KNOW you are already envious that Eisheth is my lover with the way you tore her apart-”

“Excuse me?” I felt my eyes widen as I snorted. I sternly crossed my arms, daring the Avatar of Lust to say something ridiculous. 

“Well, who wouldn’t want to be one of my lovers? I don’t blame you. I mean,” Asmodeus babbled on, unfazed, “It should be illegal for anyone to be this wonderful, shouldn’t it?” He gestured to himself. 

Simeon laughed while I could feel myself steaming with anger. 

“Oh!” I stood up, ready to give Asmodeus a piece of my mind but was halted by a knock on our door. I paused and watched as Satan peaked his head into our room. 

“Hey, the tour of the Demon Lord’s Castle is starting soon,” he informed us.

“Good!” I nearly yelled as I slipped past Satan and out the door. I needed to leave and distract myself before I said something that I would regret. 

“Well,” I heard Simeon clear his throat. “I suppose we should get going then.” 

I was still twitching with frustration as I waited in the ballroom for everyone that was part of the retreat to arrive for the tour. 

“I want to go home,” Luke whined with desperation next to me. 

“Why?” I looked down at the defeated boy with concern. “What’s up?”

“What’s wrong, Luke?” Simeon asked at just about the same time as me as he entered the ballroom with Asmodeus and Satan. “You seemed to be in such high spirits earlier.” 

“Yeah,” Asmodeus pipped in, “Suddenly that cute little tail of yours is hanging down like a sad doggy, you know?”

“Ugh!” Luke sounded like how I felt. “I’m NOT a dog and I DON’T have a tail! You’re so lucky, Simeon,” he gasped as he clutched onto Simeon’s robes. “Unlike me, you have relatively decent roommates.” 

_ That’s up for debate,  _ I crossed my arms. 

“My room is AWFUL!” The young angel exclaimed. “First off, Leviathan is taking up almost half of the room to perform a strange ritual worshipping some sort of idol!” I felt my anger fade away as a laugh rippled through my throat.

“Well,” Levi explained with excitement over my laughter, “Tomorrow is the birthday festival for one of my favorite characters. When the clock strikes midnight, I’ve got to go online and start streaming. To share my deep passion, and joy, and infatuation-”

“Ugh,” Luke threw his hands up, “At least speak a language I can understand!” 

“I am totally going to your room later to check that out,” I snickered quietly as I placed a hand on Luke’s shoulder. He huffed and glared over at Beel.

“As for Beelzebub, HE suddenly started eating one of the paintings in our room…” I erupted into laughter again at Luke’s words. “It’s not funny!” Luke groaned. 

“That picture of the fruit was too lifelike,” Beel explained with a gentle smile. “I thought it was real.”

“Right, but,” Luke shrugged off my hand on his shoulder as he turned towards the Avatar of Gluttony, “Shouldn't you have realized it was a painting BEFORE eating the entire thing?!”

“Ah, classic Beel and Levi,” I giggled as my laughter started to fade away. 

“Hey now, Levi, Beel,” Mammon called out to his younger brothers as he peeked over my shoulder. “You shouldn’t tease the doggy too much, got it?” I looked up to see Mammon smiling down at me. I felt a blush creep onto my face as I smiled back. 

“Hey, you’re teasing him too,” I playfully commented back.

“I’m NOT a doggy!” Luke yelled to no avail. 

“What’s going on?” Asmodeus asked as he narrowed his eyes at his sneaky brother’s smile. “Suddenly you seem to be in an awfully good mood, Mammon. Did you spot something in your room that you might be able to sell for a profit?”

“Wh..?” Mammon jumped back in a not so smooth way. “N-N-No, I’m not plannin’ to do anything like that! I mean,” he rambled, “I’m totally not thinkin’ about maybe stealin’ something outta the castle if I get the chance! And it’s not like Solomon and Satan and me realized we’ve got shared interests and common goals because Solomon wants some magical items that belong to the Demon King and Satan just wants to give Lucifer a black eye and that suddenly things got more interestin’ when we realized we could work together. It’s not like that at all, understand!?” 

“You’re a worse liar than me,” I frowned, “And I’m a shit liar.” 

“Solomon,” Satan hissed nearby, “Shut that idiot up right now.”

“Don’t look at me,” Solomon shrugged. “Isn’t he your responsibility? You are technically brothers, after all.” Before Satan could make a claim for himself, Lord Diavolo entered the ballroom with Lucifer. I swore I saw a black blob skittering by their legs but I wasn’t sure what I was seeing. 

“Well,” he clapped his hands together with excitement, “It looks like everyone’s here now.”

“In that case let’s begin our tour of the Demon Lord’s Castle,” Lucifer declared with crossed arms. He looked disinterested in everything and reminded me of someone who looked like they were at work. 

“Oh man,” I heard Mammon let out a sigh of relief. “That was CLOSE! Good thing Lucifer didn’t hear what I said.” He didn’t even bother whispering. 

“But he heard you say that,” I muttered as I shook my head. 

“Mammon,” Lucifer glared at his younger brother in suspicion as he spoke, “When the tour’s over, I expect you to come to my room and explain everything about what you just mentioned in detail.”

“YIKES!” Mammon gulped.

“What an idiot,” Satan rolled his eyes.

“Now, now, I think it’s nice to have at least one foolish character in the group you can tease,” a high pitched voice spoke up. It reminded me of someone who inhaled helium. “It lightens things up a little, don’t you think?”

“HEY! Who’re you callin’ foolish?!” Mammon yelled as he wildly looked around. 

“...Wait a second,” Simeon cautiously looked around. “Where did that voice come from?” As if waiting for a cue, a black blob, much like the ones that took our luggage inside for us when we first arrived, floated out from behind Lord Diavolo. His stubby feet landed on the marble floor and we all looked down to meet his gaze. 

“Whoopsie!” The creature almost giggled. “I suppose I really should have introduced myself earlier!” He flashed us a smile with his sharp teeth. I blinked down at the creature, unsure what to think.

_ He’s hardly bigger than a basketball!  _ I wanted to gasp.  _ What is this thing…? He’s got to either be some type of a familiar or a demon.  _

“Hello there, I’m little D. No. 2!” The creature waved one of his short little arms. He then moved to tip the black hat on his head like a little gentleman. “Ah, but call me Number Two if you would, mmkay?”

“Wh-What is THAT?” Luke loudly asked, unable to hide his shock. “A tiny demon…?”

“Looks yummy,” Beel commented, licking his lips. I smacked his arm lightly. 

“Not eating, please,” I hissed. 

“Careful, Beel,” Solomon warned him. “He’ll make you sick to your stomach.” I doubted that. Beel could eat anything. I remember the first time the two of us were making a deadly poison in our Potions 101 class together and he downed the entire vial just because it looked like grape soda. I’m sure the look of horror on my face was priceless. 

“You all know the Little D.’s don’t you?” Diavolo asked us as he gestured at our new companion. “You’ve probably seen them around RAD, delivering paperwork and cleaning the campus.” I thought back carefully and nodded. I had always seen them from a distance but I had never spoken to any of them before. “Apparently, Barbatos has some student council business to attend to at the moment, so I thought I’d ask Number Two here to be our tour guide. He may be small, but he’s very helpful.” 

“Yes,” Lucifer flashed us a fake smile, “He’s MUCH more helpful than a certain OTHER ‘number two’ I know.”

“A certain other number two?” Mammon asked, not catching on. I groaned as I covered my hands with my face. “...Who’s that?”

“You know,” Levi spoke up, ”every once in a long while, I’m actually a little envious of you for being like this, Mammon…”

“Guys, try to lay off Mammon, please?” I pleaded. “You are all acting like it’s National Roast Mammon Day.” 

“Maybe we should make it an official holiday,” Satan smirked. 

“Oh come on,” I said quickly, frustrated. “Number Two!” I smiled, wanting to get onto the tour. “Can you please tell us what we will be seeing on our tour?”

“Of course, lady!” The blob bounced. “Okie dokie, I’ll go ahead and give a quick rundown of what we're going to be seeing. The history of the Demon Lord’s Castle is the history of the Devildom itself!” Number Two lectured. “We’re going to be viewing all sorts of historical artifacts and works of art housed here in the castle,” I beamed with eagerness. I loved learning and I especially loved learning about history and art. “In the process, you’ll learn all about the Devildom!”

“Boring,” Mammon yawned.

“So,” the Little D. moved over to one of the ballroom walls where several paintings were hanged. “Let’s start with this portrait here!” He stood in front of a massive portrait with a golden and detailed frame. The portrait was of an unfamiliar demon with raven hair in a low ponytail and skin that matched Diavolo’s. He had sharp, impressive horns and bat-like wings. I almost felt like he was smirking at me, gazing at me with his golden painted eyes. The man was obviously important as he was posed in a lazy yet confident manner as he laid across a velvet chair that was surrounded by riches. 

“I doubt you even need to introduce HIM, right?” Satan asked. 

“Don’t be so sure, Satan,” Simeon told him, “After all, I’m guessing Claudia doesn’t know who this is.”

“Yeah, I don’t,” I said softly as I stepped up to the painting. On closer inspection, I could see the roughness of the canvas surface that was smoothed over by the oil paint that covered it. 

_ But I have a feeling that I know who this is, _ I sneakily thought to myself as I glanced over to Lord Divaolo who was staring up at the painting in reflection. 

“Right,” Number Two cleared his throat. “So this is a portrait of the great Demon King himself!”

“Ah, right,” Luke nodded as he paced a little. “So that’s what he looks like. The last time I saw him was at a ceremony over a thousand years ago.”

“Yes, I haven’t seen my father in several hundred years myself,” Diavolo explained. “He’s slumbering at the bottom of the Devildom now.” Diavolo frowned with what looked like disgust. “I’d say he isn’t much interested in the world at large these days.”

“He’s sleeping?” I felt my eyes widened in disbelief.

“That crown there… what is it?” Solomon asked as he stepped up to a glass case that was against the wall and nearby the portrait. Inside the case sat a sharp and priceless crown that was placed onto a cushion. “I’m guessing it must belong to the Demon King?” Solomon turned back to look at Lord Diavolo. 

“Hmm?” Number Two blinked as he looked away from the portrait of the Demon King. “Oh, you’re right!” He exclaimed as his bright yellow eyes landed on the protected crown. “I didn’t even notice that crown there… As for whether it belongs to the Demon King…” He hesitated. “I think maybe it could?” 

“You think?” I raised an eyebrow, not impressed. 

“Actually,” Lucifer sighed and shook his head, “That belonged to the previous Demon King.” Number Two floated over to the case and squinted as he looked at the crown, his face almost touching the glass. 

“Oh wow!” He gasped. “It looks like you’re right, actually! The former Demon King’s inscription is etched into the inside surface!”

“Huh, interesting,” Asmodeus purred. “You certainly do know a lot about this stuff, don’t you Lucifer?” He asked his oldest brother as he leaned over. 

“That’s because when I first came here,” Lucifer explained, “Diavolo explained what each item here was. It took him hours,” Lucifer stressed and Diavolo laughed and smacked Lucifer’s back. 

“Haha, right! I did, didn’t I? Ah, the memories!” 

“Man,” Mammon shook his head. “I’ve got to hand it to Lord Diavolo. Even when Lucifer gets sarcastic like that, it STILL doesn’t bother him…!” 

“Assuming it registered as sarcasm to him in the first place,” Solomon brought up. 

_ Lord Diavolo and Lucifer really do act as each other foils, _ I thought to myself as the group followed around Number Two who stumbled his way through his tour. The tour continued on as we moved from room to room. The Demon Lord’s castle seemed endless and I feared that if I was ever separated from the group, I’d never be able to find my way back to them. Things were going on without a hitch however, and I felt myself relax, the drama of today’s earlier events drifting to the back of my mind. That all changed when we entered the art gallery.

“It’s nothing but painting in here,” Mammon almost whined as he trailed down a long dark hallway with Greek styled white columns that dim lights that only illuminated paintings. 

“Yeah,” Satan nodded, “There are plenty in the House of Lamentation too, but not as much as here.” 

“I love art,” I sighed wistfully as I snapped pictures of the hallway with my D.D.D. “I always get so inspired whenever I see any.”

“I personally haven’t stopped to look at these in quite some time myself,” Diavolo admitted.

“Wow,” Luke pointed to a pastel painting of a scenery that looked like it jumped out of a mystical cartoon. “There’s even a picture of the Celestial Realm here…”

“So that’s what the Celestial Realm looks like!” I exclaimed as I snapped a photo of the painting. “There are more plants than I thought there would be… I thought it would be more… cloudy.” 

“Ah yes,” Diavolo mused as he turned to look at the scenery. “I believe this was painted around the time that I first met Lucifer.”

“Hey, let’s not bring that up-” He protested but it was far too late to stop Diavolo.

“Oh, what’s the harm in it?” He smiled at his friend. “The first time I met you, you were simply so divine, so awe-inspiring that you took my breath away. I couldn’t believe such a beautiful, magnificent angel actually existed.”

_ He’s still beautiful now,  _ I felt myself blush.  _ Wait- no-  _

“And then there was the way you refused to even shake my hand at first,” Diavolo laughed.

“Why do you sound so happy right now…?” Lucifer sighed with exasperation. 

“He wouldn’t even shake your hand…?” Satan asked, unable to believe it. “Wow, that’d be unthinkable now.” 

“I don’t think that would ever happen now,” I agreed with a smile. I heard a rumbling noise and I glanced over to see Beel rubbing his stomach. 

“All this walking around is making me hungry,” he groaned. Levi was behind him, typing away on his phone. As soon as the tour had begun, he had refused to look up from his D.D.D. 

“‘Man, this tour of the Demon Lord’s Castle only just started, and I’m already totally sick of it! Lolol’ and… sent!” He tapped his screen with satisfaction. 

“Uh, don’t you think it’s a BAD IDEA to be posting that sort of stuff online?!” Luke asked, flabbergasted. 

“It’s totally a bad idea, but that won’t stop him,” I brought up. “Ooo, this painting is beautiful!” I gasped as I jogged over to a portrait of a beautiful woman in a white dress with curly orange hair. 

“HEY… BEEL!” I heard Mammon shriek. “Stop gnawin’ on my elbow!” 

“You’re so beautiful and life-like,” I whispered and pulled my phone up to it. Click. 

“AHHHH!” I heard a scream come from the painting and jumped, almost falling to the ground. I turned back to look at the group, speechless. They hadn’t noticed that I had wandered off. 

_ What- What is this?!  _ I felt a pit in my stomach grow. This wasn’t good. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	26. Chapter 26: Do Demons Have Bitter Exes?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The retreat group comes across a cursed portrait that is deeply tied to Asmodeus. Things go bad when Claudia gets stuck in a mysterious labyrinth and has to run for her life from a giant snake. None of it would have happened if it wasn't for Asmodeus. All Claudia can think about is how this is all Asmodeus' fault!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Asmodeus has a seriously uncomfortable moment with the main character that may cause some distress. It's a short part of the story but has to do with sexual harassment (at least I would consider it that) and might cause someone to feel triggered. It makes me feel so gross after reading it so I wanted to give everyone a heads up. That's all, enjoy the chapter!

“AHHHH!”

“Wh-What was that?!” Luke looked around with panic as he grabbed onto Simeon’s arm. 

“What was that?” Satan asked at the same time as Luke. “Someone just screamed.” He was on guard as he cautiously looked around.

“It sounded like a woman screaming…?” Simeon offered. 

“Ooh, I HAVE to post about this!” Levi gasped and started to type away on his phone. “‘Just heard a terrible scream! @ the Demon Lord’s Castle.” And… Done!” 

“I must be so hungry that I’m hearing things now,” Beel muttered as he scratched the back of his neck. 

“Uh,” Luke threw his arms up in annoyance, “If you’re hearing things, then ALL of us are hearing things!” 

“Wait a minute,” Asmodeus held up a hand to the group. “I feel like I’ve heard a scream like that somewhere before.” I turned back to the painting of the woman. She was animated and screaming out at us as she banged against the canvas that trapped her. 

“How could you… HOW COULD YOU..?!”

“Uh, guys?” I call out meekly over her screaming. “Help?!” They hurried over, tracking down the source of the scream. 

“Asmodeus, this is all your fault! All of it, YOUR FAULT!”

“Is that portrait talking?” Solomon asked, calm as he could be.

“Yes!” I blurted back, my voice high and pitchy. I scrambled to stand up. “I’m sorry that I took a picture of you, please don’t kill me!” I blabbed, not understanding what was going on. 

“Bingo!” Number Two confirmed my statement. 

“That’s a portrait of Helene,” Lucifer explained over her screams. “She was a witch.”

“Well, this seems like more than a portrait!” I snorted. “Is that a person trapped in there?” I turned back to the screaming woman. 

“Helene…?” Asmodeus hummed as he looked upward in thought. “Hmm, Helene… why does that name sound familiar…? Ah yes!” I raised an eyebrow at the Avatar of Lust. “Yes, of course!” He smiled with realization. “Helene! I remember now!” 

“So what’s goin’ on here, anyway?” Mammon asked.

“Ooh!” Number Two jumped with excitement. “I can answer that question! Helene was once known far and wide as a witch of unparalleled beauty! Countless humans, angels, and demons alike fell under her spell, but then Asmodeus here,” he pointed at him with a stubby arm, “Came along and seduced her, leading her to betray her lover at the time.” 

“Yes,” Simeon sighed. “I had a feeling that’s where the story was headed.”

“Oh no,” I felt my eyes narrow. “For fucks sake-”

“War erupted as a result of her betrayal, a great war that destroyed an entire country. Helene was derided as a horrible, wicked woman who had sold her soul to a demon. What she had to endure was awful…!” Number Two gasped. 

“It WAS awful!” I snapped. 

“So you’re saying all of this happened because Asmodeus fooled around with some woman long ago?” Satan asked as he rubbed his temples. 

“‘One of Asmodeus’s ex-girlfriends just showed up! OMG!’ And… sent!” Levi quoted his tweet out loud as he typed. 

“Leviathan,” Luke almost groaned. “You know you sound like a teenage girl, right?” I glared at Luke.

“Hey now,” I snapped, “I would be caught dead before texting something like that.” I sounded more snotty than I intended to. I would have been more playful if there wasn’t a screaming witch shouting profanities out at us. “Anyway, we should be worrying about how Asmodeus is literally a shithead person,” I frowned as I stared daggers at him. He merely laughed and flipped his luscious hair. 

“Now wait a minute, everyone. We’re talking about something that happened hundreds of years ago!” He waved us off as he stepped up to the enraged Helene. “But regardless, Helene, I never expected to run into you here of all places!” He chatted away as if he had just run into an old friend. “I mean, what are the chances?! Wow, it’s been sooo loooooong! So, whatcha up to these days, hm?”

“You’ve got to be shitting me,” I said deadpan. 

“Wow,” Solomon shook his head. “It’s almost like he’s still trying to flirt…”

“Well,” Diavolo brightly smiled, “Isn’t that nice, running into an old friend again like this.” 

“I HATE you Asmodeus!” Helene roared. 

“It doesn’t seem like she considers herself an old friend,” Lucifer said with concern. 

“After what happened,” Helene hissed, “I incurred the wrath of the nephew of my former lover, who was a sorcerer. He sealed me inside this painting.”

“The nephew of your ex?” Asmodeus asked with surprise. “Are you talking about Demetrios?! I don’t believe it! The first time I saw him, he was just a little munchkin. You’re telling me he grew up to be a sorcerer capable of doing something like that?! Well,” Amsodues sounded stunned, “That is impressive! You know,” he turned back to us, “Demetrio’s father was a grade-A hunk, so I imagine his son must’ve turned into quite the man himself…”

“Asmodeus!” I groaned. “That’s not what matters right now!” He ignored me as he turned back to Helene.

“Why didn’t you tell me this happened to you? I would’ve come straight over to help. Ugh, Helene, you’re so stubborn, you know that?” He playfully told her.

“Silence!” She snapped.

“Ahaha,” he giggled in return, not even batting an eye. “Wow, it’s been so long since I’ve heard you say that! Ah, the memories…”

_Wow, he really does not respect her at all!_ I thought as I took in the scene playing out before me. _It’s like Aminata says, he really does not respect his lovers at all! He’s not even listening to Helene at all. What a dick!_

“Asmodeus… you haven’t changed one bit!” Helene yelled. “You’re still the same awful womanizer of a demon you’ve always been. Not a day has passed that I haven’t thought of how much I hate you, how much I RESENT you! NOT ONE SINGLE DAY!” 

“YEAH!” I yelled back and jumped a little. “You get him, sis! Give the prick a piece of your mind!” 

“Claudia?” Luke blinked up at me, surprised about how passionate I was getting. 

“Mhmhm,” Asmodeus nodded, not listening to a thing. “Thank you. I missed you too, you know?”

“Maaan, she’s not gettin’ through to him AT ALL!” Mammon exclaimed. 

“I may be imprisoned inside this portrait, but I haven’t lost all my power. Oh no… In fact,” Helene warned, “I still have enough power to capture you, as you’re about to see…!”

“You show him-!” I was about to encourage her before I froze up. “Wait, what?” 

“Oh, dear!” Number Two fluttered away from the cursed portrait. “Everyone be careful now, mmkay? It just so happens that Helene’s portrait is known to drag those who look at it inside the painting itself!” With Number Two’s words, the portrait started to glow and a force started to pull me towards it. Mammon attempted to drag his feet as he felt himself being dragged. 

“D’AAAAAH, I’M BEIN” DRAGGED IN!” He screamed as he reached out his arms. “WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY SOMETHIN’ EARLIER?!”

“That maybe would HAVE BEEN HELPFUL!” I added in, desperately trying to keep my footing. Mammon snatched onto Levi and started to pull him along. 

“‘Aaaaah! Mammon grabbed onto me,’’ he typed as he spoke, “‘And now he’s pulling ME into the painting too! OMG!’ ...Sent!”

“Whaddya expect?!” Mammon snapped. “You were the closest thing for me to grab! Now c’mon, Levi! Dig in! We’re losin’ ground here!” He looked back and gulped as he noticed that he was getting closer to the glowing void. 

“You know I sit inside all day every day!” Levi whined. “I’m not strong enough for this!”

“Ugh,” Beel moaned on the other side of me, also being dragged in by the relentless force. “I’m so hungry that I’m too weak to keep from being pulled in…”

“Maybe you should try something, Beel!” I yelled as I ran in place, not making much progress. 

“Hey, Solomon?” Asmodeus asked as he looked over at the sorcerer that had clutched onto him. “Why are you holding onto my arm?” 

“Because,” he scowled at the Avatar of Lust, “When it comes down to it, this is all your fault-”

“-It really is!” I nodded in affirmation. 

“So,” Solomon continued, “If I’m going in, so are you.”

“Aha!” I gasped as I pulled myself away from the pull of the painting. “Finally!” I gasped and clutched onto my pounding heart. 

“Well then, in that case,” Asmodeus cheerfully hummed as he grabbed my arm. “I’m pulling in Claudia along with us!” 

“WHAT?” I screeched as I felt myself being pulled back, reaching a hand out towards the remaining group. I felt myself being surrounded by magical energy before losing consciousness. 

_“Why am I here?” I asked as I looked around at the pastel purple and dream-like setting I was in. “You’ve told me who you are, but you haven’t told me what you want from me.”_

_“Yes, I haven’t but how do you know I want something?” I was asked in return._

_“Because…” I hesitated. “Because I know how I- you are. You wouldn’t do this unless something important was going on. Am I right?”_

_“You are, of course. Look at you, smart cookie.” I got a giggle with that playful response. “Well, you’ve been chosen for something very important. It’s a miracle that it even happened….”_

_“I don’t believe in miracles.”_

_“That’s not true. You did, once.”_

“...Claudia...Claudia…”

“Ugh…” I slowly opened my eyes to see Solomon standing over me.

“Claudia.” He lightly shook me.

“...Why do I always end up in situations like these?” I groaned as I sat up. He backed up a little with a smirk.

“Ah, good. You're awake.” I looked around, dazed, and confused. We were in a long and dark hallway that seemed to stretch on without end. It was just two of us. None of the others that had been sucked in as well were insight. 

“Where are we?” I asked as I pushed myself off the ground. My hand tensed up from the rough texture of the floor and as soon as I was standing, I rubbed my hands up against my jeans, desperate to get it off me. I hated some textures, they made me feel overwhelmed and overstimulated. 

“I’m not sure,” Solomon sighed. “I woke up and found myself here, same as you. Looks like we’re the only ones here,” he pointed out. 

_I’m nervous about what happened to everyone else, but I’m grateful that it is just the two of us,_ I thought to myself as I pulled my phone out. There wasn’t any service. _If there were more people, I might freak out with how crowded and loud things would be… I also might string Asmodeus up by the neck for dragging me along with him._

“Well,” I cleared my throat. It felt dry. When was the last time I had something to drink? “I hope the others are okay.” 

“They’re demons, they’ll be fine,” Solomon didn’t seem worried about them in the slightest. “But us…” He narrowed his eyes. “Two humans alone together in an unfamiliar area of the Devildom… This isn’t safe.” I felt my chest tightened in panic. “I’d better go ahead and call Asmodeus over.”

“Call him over?” I raised an eyebrow as I slipped my phone back into my pocket. “There isn’t any service here so I don’t know how you are going to do that. Unless it has to be some kind of magical connection you have with him because the two of you have a pact together?” 

“You’re not wrong,” he explained a little smugly. “If you have a pact with a demon, you can call them to your side whenever you want.”

“So I can do that with Mammon, Levi, and Beel?”

“Hm, I think it would be a difficult task for you, since you have almost no magical power.” He sounded so proud and holier than thou. 

“Hmpf, I see.” I huffed as I pulled my glance away from the wizard. “So, what do you have to do?”

“Here, watch,” he commanded as he took a step back. I moved my gaze back to him to see him place his hands down on the rough stone ground. A magical circle formed below him, lighting up the dingy hallway. “...Hear me, denizens of the darkness,” he started to chant and I could almost feel the magical energy surrounding him. “You who are born of shadow and you who give birth to it. Hear me and do as I command! I, Solomon, call upon you to send forth one of your number! I summon the Avatar of Lust, Asmodeus…!” Almost instantly, a blinding light engulfed the hall and Asmodeus fell down before Solomon with a yelp, landing on his butt. 

“Ow… that hurt…” He moaned as he stood up. The magic circle had faded away and Solomon stood, unfazed.

“Solomon,” Asmodeus whined as he turned around to face the human, “How many times have I told you to be more gentle when summoning me? What if I had injured my face, hm? What then?” I wanted to roll my eyes but resisted the urge. 

“Stop complaining, Asmo,” The sorcerer told the demon. “This is your fault… Anyway,” he looked around, “Where are we?”

“Don’t ask me!” Asmodeus huffed and crossed his arms as he looked around the cramped space. “From the looks of it, I’m guessing we’re in that underground labyrinth of whatever that’s supposed to be beneath the Demon Lord’s Castle- the one Satan and Mammon mentioned.”

“What happened to the others?” Solomon asked.

“Are they okay?” I added in, worried. 

“How should I know?” Asmodeus asked with some sass. “But I’ll tell you this much: We’d better find Beel before he gets REALLY hungry. We have to get him out of here, or we’ll have a real problem on our hands. If he gets too hungry,” he told us, “He’ll lose control and go on a rampage. He could end up destroying the entire castle and then Lucifer would be SUPER mad!”

“Yikes,” I hissed. 

“Hmm,” Solomon tapped a finger against his chin, “I have to say, I’d enjoy watching Lucifer tear into your brothers for doing something like that, but yeah, I’ve got no interest in being involved myself.” 

_That’s a little chaotic of you, Solomon,_ I wanted to say but instead said: “We should find Mammon and Levi first. I’m worried about them.”

“Of course,” Solomon nodded and we started to walk down the seemingly endless hall. It didn’t take long for Asmodeus to start whining during our journey. 

“....Solomoooon, how far does this labyrinth go? Are you even sure we’re going the right way?”

“Quiet, Amso.” Solomon snapped back. “You’re the reason we’re in this mess to begin with.”

“Meee?” He gasped as if this was news to him. “It’s not like I did anything wrong. Claudia,” he looked to be with begging eyes, “You agree with me, don’t you?” I was not amused. 

“Of course not!” I snorted and flipped my hair. “After the way you treated Helene, you should apologize. That is the LEAST you could do.” 

“Apologize?” He fluttered his pretty little eyes. “Me? I’m sorry, but I’m not quite sure why you’d want me to do that. I mean, true,” he went on as we walked, “I suppose an entire country was destroyed in the end, but how could I have known that would happen, hm? It’s not like I manipulated Helene, after all. I simply gave her an opportunity to have what she wanted- to unleash her inner desire. You see,” he explained. “Everyone desires something. Everyone has lust in their heart. No matter how noble and saintly they may be, they’re always keeping something locked up in there. As hard as they may try to control it, deep inside they wish they could do what they want and have what they want. They’re constantly fighting the urge to stop suppressing it, to set desire free… And it’s the same with you as well, isn’t it, Claudia?” I froze, my breath hitched in my throat. I could feel Amsodues’ voice behind me, against my ear. “I wonder,” he purred, “Who is it you desire? What sort of secret shameful thoughts are hidden inside that heart of yours? Why not let me help you reach inside and unleash it?” He reached around to place one hand on my shoulder and the other on my hip. I felt myself gulp at his touch as his one hand started to slip lower down towards my thigh. “You already showed me a glimpse of it from that quiz Aminata had you take,” he whispered. “Why not-” 

“..Hey!” Solomon snapped as he turned around.

“Quiet, Solomon,” he said darkly. “We’re having a moment here.”

_Oh my god, please save me, Solomon!_ I wanted to beg. My face was as bright as a cherry and I was starting to feel funny all over. 

“Are you sure now’s the time for that?” Solomon brought up.

“Yes,” I could smell Asmodeus’ rose perfume and his overwhelmingly good smelling shampoo. “Things are just starting to get good…” 

“Okay, but you should probably know that Mammon, Leviathan, and Beelzebub are being chased by a giant snake right now,” he casually brought up as he pointed behind him. My eyes widened as I noticed an enormous snake’s tail in the distance.

“...Come again?” Asmodeus asked, dumbfounded. 

“AAAAAAAHHHH!” 

“H-HEEEEEELP!”

“So hungry… can’t...run…” 

I recognized those voices instantly and I broke free from Amosdeus' grasp and raced towards the sound of the screams. 

“My boys!” I gasped. I thought I heard the sound of Solomon and Asmodeus saying something, but I blocked it from my mind. I stumbled into an opening of the underground lair and saw Mammon, Levi, and Beel being chased around in a circle by a larger than life snake with yellow glowing eyes and turquoise scales. 

_Please be okay, please be okay!_

“OH MAN, OH MAN, OH MAN, OH MAN, IT’S GONNA EAT US!” Mammon shrieked as he dragged the sluggish Beel along with him. “LIKE, FOR REAL!”

“Wait… What’s that thing chasing them?” Asmodeus asked as he jogged up from behind me. 

“I told you,” Solomon said, “It’s a snake, and a really big one at that.”

“Gah,” I turned around to see Asmodeus twitch and scrunch face up at the snake. “It’s giant and disgusting! Ugh, I hate having to look at unattractive things.”

“Boo hoo, poor you,” I snapped, sarcasm dripping from my voice. “Now are we just going to stand here or figure out how to help?”

“I am a fan of eating, but I’m not interested in being eaten,” Beel called out to us. The trio ran over to us and the snake let out a hiss as it started to slowly slip towards its prey. 

“As if we didn’t already have enough problems at it is, they go and bring us another one,” Solomon sighed, obviously done with the situation. “Well, we’d better get out of here.”

“Get out of here and go where, exactly?!” Levi yelled, panicked. 

“Just shut up and follow me,” He turned around and started to walk over, waving us along. 

“It’s better than doing nothing!” I gulped as I glanced back at the giant snake before hurrying after him. Dodging through hallways towards an unknown destination, we ended up losing the snake. We walked into what looked to be a prison, empty and spotless. 

“Looks like we managed to lose it somehow,” Asmodeus stated as soon as we stopped running, all of us taking a moment to catch our breath. 

“Yeah, but what’re we s’posed to do now, huh?” Mammon huffed as he placed his hands on his hips. “You expect us to hide here forever?”

“You’re the one who woke that snake up, Mammon,” Beel glared at his brother as he rubbed his restless and growing stomach. “You don’t get to complain.”

“Hey, I didn’t wake it up!” He protested. “I just saw a snakeskin lyin’ on the ground and figured I’d sell it for a pretty nice sum! But when I tried to grab it to take it with me, it turned out there was still a snake inside!” 

“The lack of brain cells in this room!” I hissed as I ran a hand through my long hair. “Wow, just wow.”

“That’s when that monster suddenly came after us, all mad n’ stuff!” Mammon finished explaining as he waved his hands.

“He’s NOT a monster,” Levi clarified seriously, “He’s Henry 1.0.” 

“What..?” Asmodeus blinked, lost. 

“Henry..? Wait, you mean THAT Henry?!” Mammon gasped, jumping. 

“Are you sure?” Beel asked cautiously. 

“I know Henry when I see him,” Levi nodded as he stomped his foot down. “And that is Henry, no doubt about it. I can’t believe I’d find him down here of all places…” Levi looked… sad and I wanted to comfort him but I had no clue what the brothers were talking about. 

“Woah, hold up,” I raised my hands. “Henry? What are you guys talking about? Can someone please explain?” 

“He’s talking about the pet snake he used to have,” Beel explained to me, “Every time Levi gets a new pet, he names it Henry.”

“Ummm… I want to say you’re on your fourth Henry at this point, right?” Asmodeus asked, trying to recall all the Henrys. 

“No, isn’t his goldfish the only other pet he has?” I asked. 

“That’s right!” Levi nodded. “Asmodeus, you’re WAY off. I’m currently keeping Henry 2.0. I kept Henry 1.0 in his glass case and took really good care of him, but one day he disappeared. How many years has it been at this point, I wonder…?”

“Oh no, that’s awful,” I frowned. “Levi, what happened to him?” 

“He was in his case in my room that day,” Levi explained to all of us, “And the door and windows were all shut, yet he still managed to vanish without a trace. I looked all over for him. Later, when I moved rooms, I expected to find his bones. Every time I picked up something to move it, I was scared, but I never did find the remains of Henry 1.0.”

“Well, I guess we now know why,” I sighed, “But I find it really strange that he just disappeared like that. It almost seems suspicious.”

“I don’t believe it, Claudia!” He beamed with excitement. “I never thought I’d see him again!” He laughed, overwhelmed with joy. “But here he is… alive and well- and he’s gotten so BIG! Oh, it’s such a relief. I’m so glad he’s alright.” 

“I’m happy for you!” I smiled at the brother, “But-” 

“Well, I sure ain’t!” Mammon growled. 

“Anyway,” Levi blabbed, pulling out his phone, “I at least managed to snap a selfie with him as we were running away. Here, check it out!” He grinned as he held out his D.D.D.

“You actually had time to take a SELFIE?!” Mammon howled.

“If he used to be your pet,” Solomon remarked as he looked at the humorous and blurry photo of the brothers running away. All of them looked panicked except Levi who was smiling with a peace sign. “Do you think there’s some way to pacify him?”

“Nope, no way,” Levi shocked his head, sounding bummed. “He looked like he’d forgotten me completely.”

“Well yes,” Amsodues shrugged, “I’d say so, considering he just tried to eat you…” 

“We should attack it,” Beel grunted, “We should take that thing down, then grill it up and eat it. I’m hungry.”

“No!” Levi yelled. “I won’t let you hurt Henry 1.0! And he’s NOT FOOD!”

“I agree with Levi,” I nodded. “Let’s try not to kill anything today, guys, alright?”

“Thank you,” Levi flashed me a small smile. “Claudia is the only person making sense right now.”

“Okay then, what SHOULD we do?” Mammon asked as he moved to lean up against the dungeon wall. “If we don’t do somethin’ about that snake, we’re never gonna get outta here.”

“There’s another strategy we could try,” Solomon smiled with a glint in his eyes. I wasn’t sure if I liked what he had planned. 

“...Really? There is?!” Levi asked eagerly. 

“Oh Solomon,” Amsodues purred as he draped his arms around his master, “I knew you’d come up with something! Not only are you good-looking, you’re smart too.” 

“Thanks,” he patted the demon’s head. “All right, I’ll be counting on you to make this work, Asmodeus.”

“Huh? Me?”

“Ah, I see what he’s thinkin!” Mammon gasped as he pointed at his younger brother. “While that snake is chewin’ on Asmo, the rest of us can make our escape!”

_No, that’s not it at all,_ I side-eyed Solomon who was watching the demons. _He’s going to use Asmodeus to his advantage._

“Uh, no,” Amsodues rolled his eyes, “That should be YOUR job, Mammon. As the stupidest one among us, it’s only right.” 

“Oh no, nuh-uh!” Levi protested. “No feeding Mammon to Henry 1.0! He'll get a tummy ache!” 

“HEY!” Mammon yowled, “You guys are bein’ REAL RUDE, ya know that?!”

“Enough, that is obviously not it! No one is eating anyone,” I said with frustration. “Solomon wants Amsodues to mesmerize the snake, right?” I glanced over at the wizard who was at my side. 

“Exactly,” he confirmed my suspicions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter honestly has the most meh ending out of all of the previous chapters but I knew I had to end it before it got too tediously long so sorry about that guys! Anyway, thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	27. Chapter 27: Do Demons Think That They are Beautiful?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solomon comes up with a plan to get the gang out of the labyrinth and it goes without a hitch. The retreat continues on and Claudia becomes more and more irritated by Asmodeus' attitude. She gets desperate and seeks outside help.

“We should make use of Asmodeus’ natural charm. If he can manage to tame Henry and win him over, then maybe he’d be willing to show us the way out of the labyrinth,” Solomon said his eyes calculating. I could picture the gears in his head working overtime. 

“Ah, okay… yes,” Asmodeus placidly nodded. “Well, I suppose I could do that.”

_ You better,  _ I wanted to hiss. 

“You know, it really should be illegal to be so stunningly beautiful that you can even charm a snake,” Asmodeus bragged with a pompous air to him. “I’m so attractive sometimes I scare even myself.”

“...Yikes,” Beel hissed.

“Seconded,” I muttered. 

“Ah, so you find it scary too, guys?” Asmodeus batted his eyelashes at us. “I mean, I’m not surprised.”

“No,” Beel shook his head as he pointed out towards the distance, “I said that because I think he just spotted us… Henry, I mean.” I followed his gaze and just about jumped out of my skin. 

“My dear Henry 1.0…!” Levi gasped and I had to hold out an arm out in front of him to prevent him from running over to the giant snake that was scanning the area for us. The moment its golden and sharp eyes landed on us, it let out a hostile hiss and started to slither towards us. 

“Whoa, whoa, WHOA!” Mammon started to back up in a panic. I gripped onto Beel’s arm in fear since he was the closest to me. “It’s comin’ this way!” He yelled. “It’s TOTALLY comin’ this way!” 

“Right!” Solomon moved closer to Asmodeus as he took charge. “I’ll begin by using my magic to amplify Asmodeus’ powers. Then Asmo,” he looked at his companion, “You mesmerize Henry.” He smacked his hands down on the hard flooring and a magic circle appeared. “The amplification process is going to take a bit of time,” Solomon explained before looking up towards my direction. “So Mammon, Claudia… you two distract Henry in the meantime?”

“WHA?” Mammon jumped.

“Distract him?” I tensed up even more and felt my hands get sweaty. 

“How’re we s’posed to do-” Mammon started to ask before Solomon stood up and pushed Mammon out in front of the snake. 

“Mammon!” I called out and jogged over. 

“HEEEY!” Mammon snapped as he turned to face the sorcerer. “What’s the big idea pushin’ me right out into its path?! I mean, come on!”

“Woah, pay attention!” I gasped as I saw the snake’s large tail come flying towards our direction. I pulled Mammon down by his jacket and we ducked just in time as the tail flung over us. “Shit, shit,” I whispered. “Okay!” I gulped and started to run at the snake. “I’ll get on the other side of the snake Mammon! Just yell at it and stuff!” Before he could stop me, I was already beside the snake, letting my adrenaline guide me. 

“Okay, Asmo,” I heard Solomon yell as I dodged an attack from Henry’s tail. “I take it you’re ready?”

“Yep, go right ahead,” he called back. 

“WHATEVER!” Mammon shrieked as he slid to the ground, moving out of the way of the aggressive snake. “JUST DO IT ALREADY!” 

“Denizens of the darkness, awaken!” Solomon chanted as he was illuminated by the magic of the circle glowing on the ground. “You who are born of shadow, hear me! I am the one called Solomon. I call upon you now to lend your power to Asmodeus, Avatar of Lust!”

“Oooh yes,” Asmodeus purred as a magical energy surrounded him. “I LIKE this! I’m SO turned on right now!”

“Let’s start leading the snake towards them!” I called out to Mammon. “Just start running!” 

“AAAAAH, OKAY, OKAY!” Mammon screamed as he started to run towards the group. The snake hissed and chased after him. “HERE IT COMES, HERE IT COMES!”

“That’s right, Henry,” Asmodeus stood his ground as he faced the snake, his intoxicating eyes tracing the snake. “Look me in the eyes… Yes,” the snake slowed its pace at the smoothing nature of Asmodeus’ voice. “That’s a good boy,” he purred and slowly held out his hand. Henry completely stopped in its tracks and I cautiously made my way around the snake and back towards the group. He didn’t even notice me, the snake was completely absorbed in the Avatar of Lust. 

“...He stopped in his tracks,” Beel muttered in disbelief. 

“My Henry 1.0…” Levi sadly clutched his heart. The snake had lowered his head down towards Asmodeus and he was chatting away to the snake as he patted his head. 

“...What’s that now?” Asmodeus asked with a smile. “... Well, how about that,” he turned back to us. “He says he’ll show us the way out of the labyrinth!” 

“Nice job, Asmo!” Solomon praised him as he smirked and placed a hand on his back. 

“Well, really,” Asmodeus sounded all high and mighty as he spoke, “Did you expect anything less of me?” 

“I’m just glad he’s decided not to eat me!” Mammon huffed as he leaned a hand against the chamber’s wall. 

“Mm, grilled snake…” Beel’s stomach growled. 

“No, bad Beel!” I scolded him. “No eating our guide and Levi’s precious pet!” 

With me having to stay in the back of the line with Beel in order to prevent him from claiming Henry 2.0 as his next meal, we followed our new snake companion through the seemingly endless labyrinth. It only took us a few minutes before the snake led us to what seemed to be a dead-end but a flick of his tail revealed otherwise. Triggering the mechanism of a faulty brick, Henry unlocked a hidden doorway that no one was aware of. After making a comment about something like that would only be in a movie, I was swiftly reminded by Solomon that daily life in the Devildom was already beyond the reality of the human realm. He was right. As I flashed a smile to the group with a laugh and said “You’re right” before moving on, I couldn’t help but feel a pit grow in my stomach. My life was unlike anything reality- my previous reality- had to offer. How had I forgotten that demons weren’t normal? That angels were only a figure of religion? Why was the fucking snake the unrealistic part of my life? 

_ I guess I really do forget what type of situation I am in,  _ I silently remarked as I stared at the back of Levi’s head as I walked. He was excitedly chatting about something to Solomon that was standing next to him but I couldn’t recall what; I was too caught up in my own head. 

_ I’m homesick, scared _ , I started to list off my situation as I stumbled over a small rock in front of me as I walked.  _ I’m an awkward and snarky girl who realistically shouldn’t be able to handle this. If a demon attacked me, I would be toast yet here I am… I’m in Hell yet it feels so right. It’s almost like I… _

Mammon let out a cheer as he climbed up the narrow stairway that was behind the previously shroud entrance, interrupting my thoughts. 

“Finally, finally!” He hollered as he came across a trap door located at the top of the stairs. 

“‘We might have found an exit out of this hidden labyrinth’,” Levi quoted himself as he typed up a new post for his social media. “‘OMG!’ And… sent! Wait but...” Levi looked up from his phone and glanced over at Henry 2.0 longingly. Asmodeus was running a hand over his head, trying to cover up his distaste for the snake with a flashy fake smile and empty compliments. 

“Now aren’t you just the best snake guide in the realm?” Asmodeus winked before slowly backing away from him. “Now, let’s go before my face gets all dried out and gross in this underground tomb.” Everyone started to move towards the exit, exclaiming their relief and disbelief. Levi lingered behind, hesitant and unsure. 

“Levi,” I timidly stepped up to him, “I know you want Henry 2.0 in your life, but I think after the seduction effects wear off, he’ll go back to being aggressive again.”

“But maybe I could-”

“Levi, Levi,” I gently shushed him as I placed a hand on his shoulder. “You love him but now you must let him go. Besides, how the hell would he fit in the house?”

“It’s not fair,” he muttered and cast his eyes downwards in bitterness but he didn’t protest as my hand moved from his shoulder to his back as I led him towards the others. 

“I know, I’m sorry,” I whispered and glanced behind me for a moment as I watched the snake quietly watch us. “Bye Henry 2.0!” I yelled and waved my free hand. 

“I’ll miss you, Henry!” Levi blurted. 

“Aye, thanks for not eatin’ us!” Mammon laughed. 

“You were an excellent guide,” Solomon bowed his head towards the oversized snake before popping open the trap door with a thud and pushing himself out of the dark pit we were stuck in. We were finally free. 

A laugh echoed throughout the red velvet dining hall that erupted from Lord Diavolo’s throat as soon as I finished speaking. It was now evening, and all of us, tired and hungry, surrounded a long wooden table that was piled high with Barbatos’ delectable selection of Devildom cuisine. 

“I see, so that’s how you managed to make it safely out of the underground labyrinth… What a story!” Diavolo flashed me a gentle smile as he reached over to pat my shoulder. My eyes slightly widened, unused to the Lord’s touch. He sat at the hand of the table, Lucifer to his left and me to his right. Lord Diavolo had insisted that he sit next to be during dinner so I could tell our wild tale in the underground labyrinth. 

“Too bad,” Lucifer huffed as he stabbed his horned screamer cat roast with his knife fiercely. “If you’d stayed lost in there for another 5,000 years or so, it would’ve been a bit quieter and more peaceful here in the Devildom.”

“Hey!” Mammon yelled from his chair, offended. “Think about how WE’D feel bein’ stuck down there that long! Man, that wasn’t cool…” 

“Well, unlike the rest of you,” I sharply inhaled, “My bones would be the only part of me that would still be left after 5,000 years of staying under there. You know, because of the whole human and living thing,” I mused flippantly. 

“Well, in any event,” Simeon spoke up from his seat, flashing Solomon, who sat across from him, a concerned glance. “It is really awful that you got caught up in this mess, Solomon.”

“Yeah, AWFUL!” Luke almost jumped out of his seat, all fired up and ready to lecture. “Ugh, when you associate with demons, bad things always happen, don’t they? Truly bad things!”

“Actually,” Solomon smiled as he casually draped his arm on the table, “I ended up enjoying myself in a way. Sure, it was a complete accident, but I did get to go inside the rumored underground labyrinth, after all.”

_ Really, you enjoyed all of that?  _ I raised an eyebrow but kept my mouth as I picked at my food with my fork.  _ All of that was horrible. I prefer not to be running for my life from a giant and violent snake.  _

“Still though, I can’t help but wonder why there’s a labyrinth underneath the castle to begin with,” Solomon continued, his expression shifting to a curious one, “Or what Henry was doing down there.”

“Hmm,” Diavolo nodded in concentration. “I suspect I may know the answer to-” But Solomon never did receive his answer because a wild and ravenous Beel who was the furthest from everyone else was going bonkers as he consumed everything in sight. 

“Mmm, this is SO good,” he groaned as he shoveled an appetizer into his mouth. “And that, too” he reached out and started to grab things off the dish plates. ‘Oh, and THAT! I’ll have more-” he grunted as he stood up in order to get a hold of a spicy and purple pinwheel that sat atop a distant plate. “Of everything!” 

“I can’t tell you how pleased I am to hear that you like it,” Barbatos spoke up as he entered the dining hall, carrying a tea tray. Since the beginning of the meal, the loyal butler had been kept busy, going back and forth from the dining hall to the kitchen, bringing out more dishes and drinks. He had refused to properly sit down, even after Lord Diavolo had insisted. “I wanted tonight’s Devildom feast to be something special,” he explained to the voracious demon and us as he gently set down the tray.

“Everything is very delicious,” I smiled at the butler as he took my teacup and started to pour me a cup of steaming tea that smelled of rose petals. “Thank you for preparing such a meal, it’s all perfect.”

“Ah, I merely wanted to satisfy you all during this retreat. I am honored that I have done so,” Barbatos explained smoothly as he handed me back my cup. I whispered a thank you as I took it from his grasp. 

“You know,” Asmodeus declared loudly and I looked over to see him twirling his hair around with pride, “Now that I think about it, the whole reason we were able to escape was because of me and how stunningly beautiful I am!” I sighed and forced myself to shove some food into my mouth before I said something rude… again. I had already called him a shithead and a prick to his face and I wasn’t sure just how much meaner I could get but his narcissistic tendencies were getting too extreme. 

“Yeah, but you were also the reason all of you ended up in the labyrinth to begin with, Asmo,” Satan logically argued as he shook his head in disappointment. 

“Right, that’s what I’m sayin’,” Mammon grunted as he pointed at his younger brother with his fork. “That was terrible, and it was all YOUR fault, Asmo!”

“You really should be careful in the castle,” Lord Diavolo warned us all. “There are a number of items here with suspicious histories to them. I can’t guarantee that there aren’t others in the castle who also want to get even with you, Asmodeus,” he targeted the lustful demon. I return, Asmodeus dramatically sighed as he fanned himself with a hand. 

“...It’s just wrong to be this beautiful…”

“It’s not your beauty that’s the issue, it’s the way you treat and discard others!” I snapped, unable to hold back any longer.

“Oh…” He placed his elbows on the table and played his head gently in his hands. “So you admit that I’m beautiful?” He asked as he fluttered his eyelashes at me. 

“Ugh, forget it,” Mammon snorted, “He’s hopeless. He doesn’t even think he did anythin’ wrong!”

_ Indeed he doesn’t, indeed he doesn’t,  _ I scowled as I glared at the Avatar of Lust, ignorant of the weight his actions carried. I decided that that had to change. I just didn’t know how I was going to make that happen, and it still clouded my mind well into the evening. 

“Well,” Asmodeus yawned as he stretched. “Time for me to get some sleep,” he explained as he crawled on top of his bed. The demon was all prepared: a sleeping mask sat atop his lush hair and a silk nightshirt and bottoms cover his delicate yet firm form. Rollers were tightly pinned to his now pulled back bangs and his face was shiny from all of the treatment he had placed on it. 

I looked over at the demon in disbelief from the desk I was hunched over. I was still in my day clothes with my hair pinned back in a wild bun. I had the desk lamp on, illuminating the course work I had brought with me on my trip. My classes weren’t going to ace themselves. Both in the human realm and the Devildom, I was a dedicated student and I had planned on staying up late and caught up on all of my work before Monday rolled around. I glanced over at my D.D.D. sitting on top of my Curses and Hexes textbook and checked the time. 

_ 8:30 pm. You’ve got to be kidding me.  _

“You’re going to bed already?” Simeon asked from his bed sounding just as surprised as I was. I arched my gaze over to the angel who was casually reading, looking cozy but having no plans on completely retiring from the night. “It’s awfully early for that,” he admitted as he adjusted the reading glasses resting on his nose. I found it humorous that an angel had to wear reading glasses, but oh boy, Simeon sure made it look good. Of course, he made everything look good. 

“Lack of sleep leads to unhealthy skin,” Asmodeus said as he crossed his legs into a sitting position on his bed, “And I don’t want that! I’m sure the both of you want to see me looking my best, right?”

“Well, I suppose that means that I’ll get to enjoy some peace and quiet tonight, which,” Simeon explained with a gracing smile as he pulled his gaze back to his book,” Is much appreciated,” Simeon spoke too soon as our door flew open and a grinning Mammon entered the room, destroying all hope of a peaceful and quiet night like Simeon and I had honestly hoped for. 

“HEEEEY! Look who’s here… it’s Mammon!” Mammon hollered and he pointed at me. “And you know what that means?!”

He paused, waiting for me to respond. I sighed before weakly smiling with a response.

“What?”

“You ain’t gonna be gettin’ ANY sleep tonight!” He let out a wicked cackle as he danced around the room. “All right, all right, all right!” He grabbed a pillow from the bed closest to him, which happened to be mine, and raised it to the air like it was a weapon. “Time for a pillow fight deathmatch with the Avatar of Greed himself! LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLLLLLE!”

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea right now Mammon,” I mumbled tiredly. I was drained from the chaos of earlier times, and as much as I lov- LIKED the puppy-like Avatar of Greed, I needed a break. All I wanted was to at least get some work done before I ended up passing out on top of my stack of working, drooling all over it. Simeon took a deep breath in, silently grabbing his bookmark from the bedside table nearby and placing it inside his book, closing it. 

“...Asmo,” Simeon gently called out, staying civil, “He’s your brother, isn’t he? Do you think you could possibly do something about him?”

The demon was already buried under his sheets, his back turned away from us. We receive no response. 

“OH NO, UH-UH!” Mammon smacked Asmodeus with the pillow in his hand, smiting him down with his fluffy weapon of destruction. “You’re not gonna fool ME, pretendin’ to be asleep! Right,” he grinned at me, “So it’s gonna be me and Claudia versus Simeon and Asmo! So c’mon!” Mammon jogged around his brother’s bed, fueled on crackhead energy. “Get up already, Asmo!”

“Uh, Mammon-” I tried to warn him about his ultimate fate as a figure approached our door that the excitable demon had left open. 

All right, all right, all right!” Mammon started to shake his brother. “Let’s get started before that ass Lucifer comes ‘round on patrol and starts botherin’ us!”

“And you’re screwed,” I sighed as I covered my face with my hands, unable to watch what was about to happen next.

“I’m sorry,” Lucifer stepped into the room with authority, “Who did you just call an ass?” he asked, fully ready to punish his brother for his loud mouth. 

“Gah!” 

“You know,” Lucifer sighed, just as drained as I was, “I don’t want to spend my evening patrolling the halls, nor did I want to bother you, but I received word that a certain dimwit tried to sneak inside the castle vault. So,” he snapped, his voice rising with anger, “As much as I’d like to rest now, I can’t… Isn’t that right, Mammon?” I slowly removed my hands from my face. As much as I cringed when Mammon got in trouble with Lucifer, I could never look away. It was like a trainwreck. 

“Ah, y’know what?” Mammon shakily threw my pillow back onto my bed and started to inch his way towards the door. “I suddenly feel sooo tired… Maybe I’ll just,” he gestured towards the hall, “go back to my room and uh, sleep.”

“MAAAAMMOOOOOOON?” Lucifer roared and Mammon let out a yelp as Lucifer grabbed his brother’s arm. “You’re coming to my room. Now,” the demon demanded. “And tonight, it’s not going to be just me in there, but Diavolo as well. I have a feeling we’re going to have all sorts of fun, don’t you?” He asked in a sickeningly sweet tone as he started to drag Mammon away. I could hear Mammon scream and beg for mercy as he was dragged down the hall. 

“N-Now just calm down, Lucifer! At least spare my life- please, I’m BEGGIN’ you!”

“...Well,” Simeon spoke up and I glanced over at him, my jaw open in shock. I was speechless. “It seems as though we’ll get a peaceful night’s sleep after all, doesn’t it?” The angel brightly asked as he opened his book again, ready to resume what he had started. 

It was around ten o’clock when Simeon fared goodnight to me and I was left along with my thoughts and my RAD textbooks. I quietly worked on my classwork under the glare of a dim lamp, careful not to disturb my sleeping roommates. I mindlessly flipped through my Demon Anatomy and Biology book, hardly taking anything in. 

_ Just how different is demon anatomy compared to human anatomy?  _ I asked with a yawn I attempted to muffle with my hand.  _ I mean, demons have human forms and subhuman forms, I can tell that from what I’ve seen of Beel, Levi, and Lucifer… The difference seems to be horns, wings, and tails but is there anything else…? You think their dicks are big- Woah, too far mind. Too far. Let’s take it a step back! _

I gently pushed the textbook away from me and stretched my arms, still lost in thought.  _ Maybe demons even have a demon demon form that they only bring out in emergencies. What would that look like though? Would they just become, I don’t know, bigger? Maybe Beel turns into a large bug and Levi turns into a large sea serpent! Lucifers turns into uh, a giant raven? Dumb idea. They probably don’t do that.  _

I sighed and was about to get up and call it a night when I felt my D.D.D. buzz nearby. I grunted as I stretched out and snatched my phone, reading the notification. 

Aminata:  _ Girly, girly! _

Aminata:  _ Are you having fun on your vacay? _

Me:  _ Define fun. A lot has happened today.  _

Me:  _ And most of it happens to be Asmodeus’ FAULT. >:(  _

Aminata:  _ Yikes, sounds like you have some tea to spill. Wanna call?  _

I glanced over at the time on my phone. 10:15pm. I decided, hell why not? I was exhausted, but having someone to rant to about Asmodeus’ narcissistic tendencies would make me feel better. 

It didn’t take me long to get fired up after sneaking outside of my room and calling Aminata. I didn’t tend to complain about much, but when something really grinded my gears, it was hard not to get obsessed with it. 

“If it wasn’t for Asmodeus and his lack of respect for others, I won’t have been stuck in a magical labyrinth today being chased around by a giant snake, but I was! Out of anyone to make a pact with next, I know Asmodeus is my next best bet,” I reasoned as I paced around on the balcony I had secluded myself on in order to achieve privacy. It would be bad if anyone heard what I had to say, especially about Belphegor. The last thing I needed was for Lucifer to find out that I had made contact with his youngest brother.“But, I’m having such a hard time connecting to him. I know he’s your best friend, but he is so self-centered and ugh!” I huffed as I leaned against the railing of the balcony. My gaze fixated out of the colorful night scenery before me. Along the edges of treetops were the city lights of a bustling Devildom that never seemed to sleep.

I received a thoughtful hum from Aminata. Although a flamboyant person with a childish disposition, Aminata was someone who was much more serious and thoughtful than she appeared. She took a moment to process my woes. 

“Asmo seems to bother you the most out of the brothers and he isn’t even one of the brothers who have tried to kill you before,” she laughed before clearing her throat. “Right, um, so girly…” She hesitated. “I feel like your anger comes from personal experience outside of Asmo, am I right? I tots think that this is about more than just Asmodeus. You’re all fired up like you’ve experienced this before.” I felt a pit form in my stomach and I clenched my jaw. 

“Perhaps you’re right,” I muttered.

“You wanna tell me about it?” I let out a sigh and slumped against the railing that was supporting my weight. 

“Well,” I said slowly, trying to figure out how I was going to simplify the complicated. “I once knew this guy who was always so full of him. He was loud, obnoxious, and irritating to no end but I cared about him. We got really close but he wasn’t good for me,” my tone became more bitter as I struggled to contain my hatred. “He’s a narcissistic and lying prick that broke my heart.” I paused, tracing one of my long nails along the granite rail. “I think I get frustrated at Asmodeus because he reminds me of him. They hurt people without empathy and have deep insecurities that make their toxic behavior only grow worse. They’re also people you can’t heal or fix and they aren’t just going to automatically get their crap together just because you provide structure and stability to their lives.” 

“Sure sis, you can’t change a person,” Aminata responded on the other end, “But you can make their lives better. I get it though. You shouldn’t help someone if they are going to be a drain on you but I think it’s already too late for that, yeah? You’re helping Belphine so you need to find a way to get Asmodeus to like you and I think I can help you!” I heard the witch get excited. “I don’t know what that guy did to you in the past,” she admitted, “But I can tell you that there is some good stuff in Amso under all that glamor and sparkles. Let me tell you about the first time I met Amso, and what I did to earn his eternal friendship.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	28. Chapter 28: Do Demons Play the Game of Manipulation?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now equipped with new knowledge she didn't have before, Claudia approaches Asmodeus. She needs to make a pact with him and he happens to have something for her to do. Is forming a pact with the Avatar of Lust easier said than done?

“Alright,” Lucifer commanded from his spot at the table. It was morning and we all sat around a table decorated with breakfast delights. “It’s time to explain what we have planned for day two of our retreat.” I silently watched the demon of pride, my mind numb with exhaustion. I wasn’t a morning person, so I never fared well in the early hours of a day. 

_ Man, I’m tired,  _ I thought as I muffled a yawn with the back of my hand.  _ I stayed up way too late talking to Aminata. I feel like shit now, but considering what I learned last night, I think it's worth it.  _ I recounted what Aminata had revealed to me. I now had a secret weapon to use to my advantage. Although I felt like death, I at least was better off than Mammon who most likely had endured hours of torture by the hands of Lucifer and Lord Diavolo. 

“...Quiet leaning up against me, Mammon,” Beel whispered with a grunt to his older brother. “You’re heavy, you know.”

“Shut up and at least let me rest my head against your shoulder, Beel,” Mammon snapped back, grumpy. “Lucifer kept me up until morning,” Mammon rubbed his face against the red head’s broad shoulder. “I didn’t sleep a wink last night.”

“Yes, Lucifer just kept going and going last night, didn’t he?” Diavolo asked, far too cheerful considering the situation. “I’m sure you had a hard time, Mammon,” He smiled at the worn-out demon. “Though I have to say, it was fun to watch,” he admitted with his iconic booming laugh. 

“That’s NOT funny!” Mammon growled and I shook my head in disbelief. Demons sure were something else. I tried not to think about how the trio made it sound like they had an orgy but Levi corrupted my mind when he quoted his latest tweet.

“Big news,” he blabbed, “Last night Lord Diavolo, Lucifer, and Mammon totally fucked!” 

“HEY!” Mammon yelled as he reached across the table in an attempt to snatch Levi’s phone. Sitting next to Levi, I pushed my chair back, not wanting to get involved in the shitstorm. “Don’t post stuff like that! I don’t want my personal information leakin’ online!”

“Wait, that’s the part that you have a problem with, Mammon?” Satan asked with a sigh.

“That’s just what I was wondering,” I muttered as I shook my head. Now all I could see were vulgar images of Mammon, Lucifer, and Lord Diavolo. Great. 

Asmodeus giggled, far too happy with this turn of events. He only made things worse when he said: 

“I bet they were on the bed and Lucifer topped Mammon and whipped him so hard that he left marks all along his back! Lord Diavolo watched at first and then totally join in! Right…” He giggled with a lusty look and then cleared his throat. “Am I right?” Lucifer looked like he was ready to stab his brothers with the knife he was clutching in his hand but Diavolo held him back with a pat on his shoulder, unbothered by their words. Lucifer slowly released the knife. 

“Ahhhhhhhhhhh,” I droned as I covered my ears. I could feel my face burning. Simeon had covered Luke’s ears in a panic. 

“Simeon?” Luke looked around in confusion. “Why’d you put your hands over my ears?” He innocently asked. “I can’t hear anything this way.”

“Right, that’s the idea, Luke.” 

“Sooo,” Solomon spoke up. “Back to business.” He wanted to change the subject and I was more than willing to let him. “I think you mentioned that day two of the retreat was supposed to be-” He started to ask Lucifer and Lord Diavolo.

“A scavenger hunt, right?” Simeon chipped in. 

“Yes,” Lucifer nodded as he tapped his gloved hand against the wooden table. “We’ll be having a scavenger hunt. Each group will be given riddles to solve,” he explained. “Each riddle hints at one of the works of art or historical items here in the castle. Once you figure out the answer, you find and take a picture of the item in question. The things you learned during yesterday’s tour of the castle should come in handy as you try solving your riddles.”

“Sounds easy enough,” I shrugged, my face still beat red. “As long as I don’t almost die again today, I think it should be easy peasy.”

“We’re doing this in groups, huh?” Mammon stared at me with crossed arms. “In that case, I’m groupin’ up with Claudia!” He declared. I was about to gladly accept him until Lord Diavolo shot that down. 

“Why don’t we just say that the groups will be made up of the same people you share a room with?” The demon lord suggested. Mammon looked upset as he turned away from me but didn’t say a word. So, I once again found myself in the company of my two roommates, Simeon and Asmodeus. Although sad to see Mammon upset, this was when I knew that my plan could take action: my plan to win over Asmodeus’ loyalty. Today, I was going to make a pact with Asmodeus.

“Satan!” Simeon cheerfully addressed the competition he found himself beside. We were deep within the scavenger hunt and I was walking alongside Simeon as we searched for our latest clue. “How’re things going for your team? Well, I hope?” Satan shared a look with Solomon, his teammate. Mammon huffed at us and crossed his arms. 

“Oh please,” Satan scoffed as he glared at the angel. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. You hatched a plot to keep us from winning, didn’t you?” 

“I’m sorry,” Simeon blankly stared back. “What are you referring to?” 

“He’s referring to Asmo,” Solomon explained with frustration, “Who’s preventing us from making any progress at the moment.”

“Check it out!” Mammon got our attention with his D.D.D. as he held it out to Simeon and me. “We found what we were lookin’ for, so we tried to take a picture but then HE went and jumped in front of it so we can’t get a clear shot…!” The photo was of Asmodeus, who was striking a pose with a bright smile. He was covering up some sort of painting.

Asmodeus, who was further up along the art gallery we were standing in gasped in shock as he looked up from his phone. He appeared to have been touching up his hair.

“Whaaat? Oh, come on,” he rolled his eyes with a flick of his wrist. “Wouldn’t you rather have a picture of ME than some boring old piece of art? I’m much better looking. Your camera will thank you!” He jogged over and snatched Mammon’s phone from him. “Oooh, yes,” he squealed. “Nice picture! That was a good shot you got of me. You know,” he explained, “I think I look best photographed from just above maybe a 45-degree angle…Oh,” he flipped his hair with a charming smile. “Though I always look good, naturally, as if I even need to tell you that.”

Things didn’t get much better as Asmodeus constantly got in the way of other teams. From charming the living statues to getting in the way of other photos, he made it impossible for the other teams to properly play. 

“Hey, Asmo!” Mammon blustered, “Whaddya think you’re doin’, huh?!” A statue was tracing their hands all over Asmodeus’ body with a giggle, making it impossible for anyone to take a photo of it in its original form.

“Well, I can’t help it, now can I?” The lusty demon flashed us a grin as he allowed the statue to place butterfly kisses along his neck. “It’s not my fault that I’m so charming and ridiculously good-looking. Also,” his tone became more mischievous, “I don’t believe it said anywhere in the rules that we’re not allowed to get in the way of other teams.” With that, he slipped from the statue’s grasp and started to saunter away. 

“Hey, where do you think you’re going?” Satan called out after Asmodeus. “We’re not done talking to you, Asmo!”

“Where am I going?” He threw his hands up in the air and shot us a glare as he continued to walk off. “Oh, I dunno, maybe somewhere where I don’t have to listen to someone lecturing me?” Simeon sighed and looked over at me.

“He really is a handful. What are you going to do, Claudia?” 

_ Me? _ I felt my eyes widened.  _ Why he is asking me and not Solomon. Isn’t he the one that has a pact with Asmodeus? Wait, maybe this is a good thing! _

“I’ll,” I said slowly, trying to keep my face neutral, “I’ll go talk to him.” I flashed Simeon a smile before hurrying up to Asmodeus before slowing my pace behind him.

“...Hey…” 

“Hm?”He turned around and paused. “Ah, I was wondering who was behind me. So it’s you, Claudia. What,” he smiled, “Did you follow me hoping we could have a little alone time?”

“Kind of,” I admitted as he joined his side. “I just wanted to talk.” I took a deep breath. “Hey, if we are going to win this scavenger hunt, maybe let’s try to do it fair and square-? And I know, that’s strange coming from me considering the TSL Trivia Showdown incident.” He laughed so hard that he had to wipe tears from his eyes and I winched. 

_ Okay, stupid thing to say, but he seems to be in a better mood and that’s what I want.  _

“Pff!” He grinned. “Fair and square? You know you’re talking to a demon, right? Fair and square… Oh, that’s funny!” He giggled. “What,” he rolled his eyes once he had stopped laughing. “So now you’ve come to lecture me too? Is that it?”

“Well, lecturing doesn’t really work on you, nor does getting mad at you,” I sighed, careful with my words, “All I have to say is that what you did back there wasn’t cool and you’ve been pretty uncool this whole trip.”

“Oh, was it now?” He raised an eyebrow. “You don’t think I should’ve done that? Reeeally?” He leaned forward with a purr and I blinked. 

“Uh, what the fuck are you doing?” He backed away, disappointed. 

“Claudia, I see you looking into my eyes right now,” He said slowly and I nodded.

“And?” I asked. I knew what he was doing and I found it incredibly insulting, but I held back my bite. 

“You don’t feel anything?” Asmodeus asked as his shoulders dropped in disappointment. “Like, really? Nothing at all? I… I was trying to charm you. You know, like I did down in the labyrinth.”

“Like you tried the first time I met me,” I explained as I crossed my arms. 

“You’re just a human yet I still can’t charm you,” Asmodeus’ upset tone quickly turned into a defensive one. “Even so, if you think you can control me, well you’ve got another thing coming!”

“I can’t right now,” I shrugged, “Sure. I could only control you,” I took a step towards him, not breaking eye contact, “If you made a pact with me.”

“Me?” He stepped back. “Make a pact with you?” He laughed but I didn’t laugh back. When he realized that I wasn’t joking, he looked uncomfortable. “What, do you think that because I made a pact with Solomon, I’m willing to do it with any human who comes along?”

“Of course I don’t,” I turned around, keeping my voice leveled. “Solomon is one of the most powerful sorcerers in the realm, I wouldn’t dare say I compare to him.” 

“Hmm,” I slightly glanced over to see Asmodeus considering my offer. “If you want to make a pact with me that badly. Then what do you say to this? If you can manage to outwit Lucifer somehow, then I’ll be willing to recognize you as someone worthy of me,” he smirked, thinking that this offer would scare me. “If you really want to make a pact with me, then… surely you can do something like that, right?”

“I-” I paused, keeping myself leveled, “-Why yes, yes I can.” Before Asmodeus could comment on my confidence, I turned around fully to face the demon. “So, what exactly do you want me to do?” I tried to hide the smirk that was creeping up to my lips. Aminata was really a saving grace. As I waited for Asmodeus’ to go into detail, I thought back to what wisdom Aminata had granted me the previous night over the phone.

_ “When I met Asmodeus,” Aminata started to explain over the phone, “I was your age. I was young, scared, and tots ignorant of the world. I had spent my whole life in what is now known as Senegal Africa, so when I realized I was a witch, Aicha Kandicha-” _

_ “Who’s that?” I asked. _

_ “Oh…” Aminata's voice was soft, “She’s the demon that helped me realize my potential and took me to the Devildom, but that’s unimportant. Anyway,” she went on, quickly changing the subject, “When I got to the Devildom, I looked like easy prey. I was some small and malnourished tribe girl who couldn’t really do much, but I had a brain and I knew how to use it.” _

_ “So you were in the Devildom, but when did you meet Asmodeus?” I heard myself ask Aminata, eager to know how she met him. _

_ “I met Asmo on one of the first days that I arrived. In the beginning, Girly, Aicha always stayed by my side but one day I got separated from her in a busy crowd so I went looking for her. I ended up near an alley where I saw a demon hunched over a wall, crying.”  _

_ “Was it Asmodeus?”  _

_ “Yup. I didn’t know what to do, but it felt wrong to ignore him so I went up to him. At that moment, I didn’t really think about how reckless I was, but if someone bad had happened, I would have tots blamed myself. I pulled at his shirt, not sure what to say, and when I got his attention, I hugged him. _

_ “You hugged him?” I asked, baffled.  _

_ “I didn’t really know what to do,” she giggled. “He was surprised but just hugged me back. I found him in a really vulnerable position. We became friends after that because I validated his feelings and so he respected me. Ya know how I said that he sleeps with people that he doesn’t respect? You need him to respect you in order to have your opinion and thoughts valued. If he doesn’t value you, then he won’t want to be in a pact with you.” _

_ “How do I do that though?” I sighed and tapped my nails along the balcony railing. “Asmodeus doesn’t really like to show his vulnerable side and you were lucky to come across him like that.”  _

_ “Oh, he’ll give you a chance to prove that you deserve his respect,” Aminata said, “But he won’t make it easy. Girly, he’ll try to make it impossible for you but I’ve got your back. Just leave it to me and I’ll make the impossible possible.”  _

_ “What will he do to make it hard for me?” I asked, wanting an example. _

_ “Oh, you know,” she sang, “He’ll be like,” she started to mimic his voice at this point, “I will be in a pact with you only if you can amuse me by doing this really hard thing that I don’t think a silly little girl can do, ehehe!”  _

_ “Charming,” I sighed. “Well, we’re on a trip so luckily it limits what he can make me do.” _

_ “That’s right!” Aminata cheered. “And tomorrows the ball so I’ll be able to help you since I’ll be there!” _

_ “You’ll be at the castle tomorrow for the ball?” I raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t realize that it would be a big event,” I admitted.  _

_ “The invitations were sent out on short notice,” Aminata explained, “But anybody that is anyone of importance will be there tomorrow.” I felt a wave of anxiety pass through me, suddenly feeling uneasy. “Anywho, the point is, if I had to guess, Asmodeus will want you to do something that involves Lucy since he’s a tough nut to crack!”  _

_ “If it has anything to do with Lucifer, I’m screwed,” I snapped pessimistically.  _

_ “You don’t give yourself enough credit, “ Aminata gasped, “You’re already tricking him regarding Belphie, so what stops you from doing it again?”  _

What would stop me would depend on Asmodeus’ next words. 

“You want to know how I want you to outwit Lucifer?” Asmodeus asked, breaking me away from my flashback. “Hmm… Good question. Okay, how about this?” Asmodeus grinned. “I want you to get a picture of Lucifer’s face while he’s asleep. You know, my brothers tried to do that once, do you remember?” I nodded my head. I sure remembered all right. 

_ Satan, Beel, and Mammon tried to get me to help them _ , I recalled, _ but I knew better than to get involved. It was a mess. _

“Though, I heard that the attempt ended in a failure,” he giggled. “Well then,” he placed a hand on my shoulder,” This sounds like the perfect task to me. An excellent opportunity to correct what they failed at doing.” He started to walk away from me. He glanced back with a smug expression that made me want to frown. “If you can manage to get a picture of Lucifer asleep, then sure, I’ll make a pact with you,” he assured me.

“Great,” I mumbled when I was out of the earshot of Asmodeus. I snatched my D.D.D. from my pocket and started to type away. 

Me:  _ The plan’s in motion. He took the bait. Now, all we have to do is get a picture of Lucifer asleep. _

Me: _ The game’s begun.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	29. Chapter 29: Do Demons go to Balls?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night of the second day of the retreat approaches and guests start to flood into the Demon Lord's castle. Will a ball be a much-needed distraction for Claudia or will it only cause more chaos?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before this chapter starts I just want to say happy Halloween everyone! I hope everyone stayed safe on this very spooky day and ate a lot of candy (I know I sure did). I also hope that you really enjoy this chapter because it was seriously the most fun to write. Now without further ado, here's chapter 29!

“It’s been so long since I’ve had food from the Celestial Realm. This is so special that it almost feels wrong to eat it,” Levi admitted with a smile. 

It was dinner time and everyone that was a part of the retreat sat around the dining table surrounded by pastel-colored dishes that looked as light as clouds. It had been Luke’s turn to cook and he surpassed all expectations. 

_ All of this almost looks so surreal,  _ I admitted as I blankly stared at my plate, not even touching my food.  _ Ugh, I can’t believe that it’s my turn to cook tomorrow. I’m so inexperienced in the kitchen… You think Solomon’s a good cook? He has to be, right? He was probably walking among the dinosaurs, that’s how old he is. Someone that old couldn’t go without cooking his whole life.  _

“Huh,” Satan reflected on the mouthful of fluffy goodness that he just placed in his mouth. “The flavors are a lot different from what you’ll find in the Devildom, and the ingredients, too… It’s really food in its own way.” 

“More please,” Beel grinned as he held out his empty plate. 

“You’re still not full?” Solomon sighed and started to scoop some of his plate onto Beel’s. “Okay, here. You can have mine.”

“Would you like mine as well, Beelzebub?” Lord Diavolo politely asked from the head of the table. Lucifer shook his head and scowled at the lord. 

“I know you are trying to be nice,” he said, “But if you keep giving him food like that, he’ll never stop eating. He’d even eat your arm if you let him.” 

_ Lucifer…  _ I glanced up for a second and looked back down at my plate.  _ I have to get a photo of him sleeping but that is easier said than done. I can try to find out where he sleeps first. I know he is staying with Lord Diavolo and Lord Diavolo basically stated that it’s in a guest room and not his own room so that eliminates an option. The issue is that there appears to be hundreds of guest rooms in this castle. _

“Mm,” I looked over to see Simeon with his eyes closed, taking in the flavor of the meal. “I love the way you seasoned this,” he opened his eyes and smiled at the younger angel beside him. “You’ve gotten even better, Luke.”

“MAN, and this thing here is real good too!” Mammon exclaimed as he pointed at his plate. “You really are pretty good in the kitchen, Fido!” 

“How many times do I have to tell you before you’ll get it through your head?” Luke asked with exasperation. “My name’s NOT Fido!”

“You know, they keep teasing you because you always get upset like that,” Asmodeus explained as he leaned over to the young angel. “Or,” he raised an eyebrow with a playful expression, “Do you do it on purpose? Is that it?” 

_ Even if I did have the chance to look through hundreds of rooms in one night,  _ I stated to myself, still hatching a plan,  _ Lucifer would properly have some sort of protection spell up that blocks strangers from entering. Man… this is hard. Aminata won’t be here until the ball starts...  _ I glanced behind me. In the hallway, I could see servants rushing around to make last-minute preparations for the festivities that would commence in a few hours.  _ So, I’ll have to wait until she can help me come up with ideas.  _

“...Claudia…”

_ Until then, I just have to try my best to not look suspicious.  _

“...Hey, Claudia!”

“Huh?” I turned my attention back to the table and blinked.

“Didn’t you hear me?” Lucifer shook his head in disappointment. “I asked you to pass me the dipping sauce.”

“Ah, sorry!” I stumbled and passed him the pitcher with the sauce. “I was just staring off into space…” 

“You really seem to be off in space today, don’t you?” He took the pitcher from me, our fingers brushing against each other. “It’s still only day two, you know?’

“Sorry, sorry,” I muttered, blushing. “I um, get really distracted easily. It’s irreverent if I have energy or not, though,” I admitted, “My attention does get worse the more tired I am.”

“I see,” Lucifer hummed as he started to pour some sauce on his plate.

“Hey, Lucifer?” I timidly asked. “I’d like to see the art and decorations in each room sometime. I know we saw some artifacts during our history tour,” I blabbed, “But I didn’t get to see it all because I got stuck in the labyrinth and I think it’s a shame.” 

I was telling the truth but if I also happened to come across Lucifer’s room then it would just be an extra bonus, that’s all. 

“Well, I didn’t realize that you appreciated decorative pieces here at the castle as much as I did,” he gave me a smoldering look that made me gulp. “Wonderful,” he said deeply.

“I really like art a lot,” I eagerly nodded my head, hoping that I was getting somewhere with the conversation. “I’m an artist, well, I try to be as much as any creative, and my mom is also into art. We both try to go to art museums and learn about art when we can.” 

“How interesting, I noticed your passion yesterday,” Lucifer explained, “But I didn’t realize it ran that deep. All right, I’ll make a list of everything worth seeing and where you can find it later after dinner. Then, you can go have a look at them whenever you’d like.”

“Really?” I smiled, shocked that he’d be willing to do that. I didn’t know if he believed me or not, but I was excited about this new revelation. “Thank you so much!” 

I became more chatty after my conversation with Lucifer and started to get shaky with anticipation about the ball. After dinner, we were all dismissed to get ready. I was the first to get back to my room and gathered everything I would need to transform myself for the night ahead. With stuffed arms full of makeup, my heels, and my concealed dress that was in a garment bag, I shuffled over to an empty room so I could get ready in peace. I had never changed in front of Simeon and Asmodeus and I was determined to not break my streak. I had confidence in my body but I found the idea of changing in front of men, especially an extremely horny one, dangerous. 

Pulling the ruby dress adorned in sparkling gems from its bag, a sad smile and pained gut feeling crept up on me. I had picked this dress out with my mother the year before for my junior prom. I remember spinning around the three-sided mirror at the parole we bought it at with excitement. I remembered that while changing in my dressing room, my mom snuck over to my room to gossip with me. 

_ “Did you see that guy with his girlfriend by us?” She asked me. _

_ “Uh, I guess.” I hadn’t really paid attention to the group next to me, why would I?  _

_ “He can’t keep his eyes off of you. You look stunning,” she informed me. “Especially for the last dress you tried on, his jaw almost dropped to the floor.”  _

_ “He was checking me out?” I was surprised.  _

_ “You’re so oblivious.” My mom wasn’t being harsh, it was true. I was observant about everything except when it came to people being attracted to me. I was an absolute dumbass when it came to attraction.  _

_ When I stepped out of the dressing room, I carefully examined the guy beside us and, wow, she was right. When his girlfriend was distracted, he would sneak careful glances at me. I felt myself blush, feeling good about how I looked. I wondered how often this happened and how often I didn’t notice.  _

Even in the Demon Lord’s castle as I stood in front of a body length mirror wearing the dress that reminded me of my mother, I debated whether I would receive a similar reaction again and if I would notice. 

_ Will the demons just look at me with a primal hunger,  _ I asked myself as I slipped on my black heels,  _ or will they look at me with human desire?  _ I sighed and crouched down to pull a dark lipstick container from the makeup bag that stood beside me. I decided that it didn’t matter. My biggest concern was finding out about where Lucifer was sleeping and I had no time to gush about romantic illusions that plagued my mind. 

After touching up my makeup, the last thing I did was pin my hair back into an updo and flashed myself a cunning smile. I took a second to admire myself in the mirror. The mermaid styled ruby dress fit my skinny form gracefully, a blend of elegant and sexy. I jokingly posed several times and let out a giggle before bouncing out of the room. I left my belongings in the room, knowing that I would have time to retrieve it all later. My eyes caught a view of a grandfather clock when I stepped outside and I checked the time. 

_ 8:30, perfect. I got ready just in time.  _

Noticing that I was alone in the hall, I didn’t wait for anyone else as I made my way towards the ballroom. It didn’t take long for me to notice that the castle was significantly fuller and more lively than it had been the past two days. I could hear the chatter of the boisterous ballroom the closer I approached and I felt butterflies in my stomach. A jittery mess of anxiety and excitement, I had to pause my trek to the ball to clutch onto my heart and take several deep breaths. 

Crowds made me nervous and were often overstimulating for me. I had gotten better about social events over the years but I could still remember when a younger Claudia would abandon a playdate to go hide in an abandoned room of a friend’s house when she felt overwhelmed. 

_ You can do this,  _ is all I told myself before straightening my postures, putting on a smile, and stepping into the ballroom. I gasped as I took in the scene before me. The ballroom was a lively explosion of color up against a golden backdrop. An orchestra of talented musicians in black commanded all in the grand hall to dance and couples skittered across the marble flooring, puppeteered by the blaring music. Demons and magic users of all kinds took up the scene. I could see horns, wings, tails, spikes, fangs. I felt as if I was truly in another world outside of the Devildom that I had seen. I hadn’t seen so many demons in their demon form at once and felt small in such a foreign environment. 

Those that weren’t dancing, were in clumps gossiping and chatting in the sidelines about politics and drama as they drank strange glowing glasses of liquid and dined on finger foods. Stressed servants, consisting of demons that looked more human than not and “little D’s” were hurrying around carrying trays of food and drink and offering it to every guest they met. A large table across the blocked-off harmonizing orchestra symphony contained a mountain of dishes on silver trays that I was positive was going to be eliminated in a second the moment Beel laid his eyes on it. In the center sat an ice sculpture bust of Lord Diavolo himself with a calm gaze and gentle smile. 

I pulled my eyes downward, suddenly very aware that I was getting a lot of glares from guests. I prayed that I would find someone that I was familiar with soon or else my body threatened to turn around and run out of the room. 

I felt a hand land on my shoulder and I almost jumped out of my skin. 

“Relax,” I heard a familiar chuckle, “It’s just me.” 

“Nickels!” I turned around with a light smile. “Gosh, you scared-” I paused. “...Me…” 

“I look a little different don’t I?” Nickels flashed me a smirk. My co-worker was still the familiar demon I knew but he was a lot less bookish and was, hell, extremely sexy. Wearing a dark maroon suit and shiny formal shoes, the demon, for once, was not wearing something extremely oversized. Nickels’ thick hair that constantly covered the upper half of his face slicked back with gel to give view to a charming face and sparkling ruby eyes. Like all of the other demons at the ball, he was in his demon form. He had grey angel wings and gazelle-like horns that faded to a black the closer they got to his dark hair. 

“SoI could feel your anxiety from the other room,” he explained, “So I decided to come over.”

“It’s that bad, huh?” I sighed softly. “Nickels,” I spoke up, “I didn’t know you would be here tonight. I figured Aminata would have told me.”

“Is Aminata my handler?” He joked back. “Uh, anyway kid,” he became more serious, “I need to talk to you- ah,” he smiled as he peered past me, “Looks like I’ll be interpreting something if I stay around.” He patted me on the shoulder before whispering, “We don’t want your precious demons to get jealous of me because of some misconceptions, now do we? Come find me later.”

“Wait, what are you talking about?” I asked as I turned around. Mammon and Levi were hurrying over to me, bickering. 

_ So that’s what he was talking about,  _ I thought as my gaze hung on them. Both were in their demon form and dressed up for the occasion. 

“Aye, I wanna spend time with her so why do ya gotta follow me around like this?” I could hear Mammon hiss at his younger brother. 

“I don’t like normie events like this,” Levi snapped back, typing away on his phone. His tails flickered in annoyance.“Socialization is gross.” 

“That ain’t’ mean that you gotta cling onto me!” Mammon groaned and his bat-like wings fluttered.

“Guys!” I called out, feeling a smile forming on my face. 

“Claudia!” Mammon seemed more energetic the moment he saw me and jogged over to me, pushing past a few guests to get to me. Levi trailed behind him, tensing up as he passed intimidating party goers. 

“I’m glad I found you guys,” I explained once they stopped in front of me. “You both look really nice,” I beamed. They both seemed a little speechless and I was worried that I said something wrong.

“Y-You look like a goddess- like one from the newest  _ My Girlfriend is a Goddess but I Only Just Found out so Things are Crazy _ !” Levi blurted with wide eyes. 

“Don’t be weird!” Mammon punched his brother in the arm.

“Hey, it’s okay,” I laughed, “I don’t know what show you are talking about Levi, but I am extremely flattered.” 

“Well, she always looks nice so it’s not a big deal, got it?” He seemed to scowl at Levi. “..Yo, Claudia,” Mammon cleared his throat and looked into my eyes. “Um, like… you know,” he hummed, “Uh, I mean, like… uh… L-Like,” he smiled at me, “You’ve gotta have weird tastes to ask a human like you to dance. I’m guessin’ no one here’s gonna do that, huh?” He let out a forced laugh. “So y’know,” he shrugged with a blush, getting really shy. 

“Yes, Mammon?” I smiled as I felt my heart swell with happiness. 

“As long as you don’t have a partner,'' he continued, “I guess I could maybe go ahead and pair up with you for a li’l bit.” 

“Mammon,” Satan walked by us chuckling. I almost didn’t recognize him with his pitch-black ram horns. “Why not just admit that you want to dance with Claudia?” 

“You’re such a loser!” Levi snickered at his brother, “And a total tsundere! Loool, people are sick of characters like that! Didn’t you get the memo? Those characters are so yesterday! LMAO!” Mammon growled and turned five shades of red and started to shoo the two brothers away. “Get outta here, both of you! Shoo! Shoo!” Levi shrugged and started to walk off. 

“Later… Normie.”

“I’ll hang out with you later!” I called out to Levi. “I promise…! Now,” I stepped closer to Mammon. “What do you want to do with me?” I playfully smirked.

“I-” Mammon started to say until someone called out my name with authority. My attention was brought to Lucifer, who was approaching me. Guests surrounding us gasped and started to get very restless. 

_ It’s like he’s the most popular kid in school that everyone’s too scared to approach,  _ I mused.  _ What could Lucifer want now? Mammon was about to dance with me. I was excited too, ugh…  _

“Come dance with me. Now,” he commanded as he held his hand out to me. Mammon and I both seemed to be surprised and gave each other a look, Satan, who was lingering nearby with Levi sighed and shook his head. 

“See, you should’ve just come out and asked Claudia to dance.”

“The loser was rejected!” Levi hollered with a laugh. “Awesome!”

“SHUT UP YOU TWO!” Mammon yelled loud enough to bring a lot of attention towards us. I hesitated as I carefully looked into Lucifer’s cool eyes and slowly reached my pale hand out to his gloved one. 

“Sure, I’ll dance,” I said slowly before flashing Mammon an apologetic expression. I mouthed Mammon “I’m sorry” before being swept away to the center of the ballroom. The musicians were preparing to start the next song. “Will we be dancing something that I know?” I asked softly. For my tasks, Lucifer was in the habit of teaching me ballroom dances that were common in both the human realm and in the Devildom. He had told me that the reason behind him teaching the dances to me was that “they would prepare me for a cultured and rich life.” 

“Yes,” he wrapped his arms around me, “The waltz.” The music started to swell and I placed my free hand on his shoulder. The other one was interlocked with Lucifer’s. 

“I’m surprised that you asked me to dance,” I admitted as we graced the dancefloor, “Why did you ask me to dance?”

“There are all sorts of reasons why one might ask someone else to dance,” he replied and I waited for him to explain. “For example, they might be interested in them, they might want to touch them, or they might simply be doing it out of politeness.” 

_ I highly doubt that Lucifer would ever dare be interested in me,  _ I tried not to scoff. 

“Or,” he continued and I felt myself get nervous as he tightened his grip on me, “It could be because they want to have a private conversation.” His voice became lower and more hostile as he leaned his face towards mine. “What is it you’re plotting with Asmo?” I gasped as his grip started to hurt. The music built in volume and energy. “Let me make one thing clear: I respect my brothers’ freedom to do as they wish. However,” he snapped, “If I ever sense that you’ve become a threat to either Diavolo or us, then I will show you absolutely no mercy.” His eyes were full of rage. It was the rage that could kill. “Understood?” 

“I want to be good friends with all of you, Lucifer,” I said through gritted teeth. I wanted to plead to him to not hold onto me so harshly. 

“Well, that’s not what I want,” and with that, the song ended. He let go of me and I could feel myself shake in fear. I rubbed my aching wrist that he had been harsh with, hoping that my gentle touch would ease its pain. 

“Pardon me,” I could see someone approach us from the corner of my eye and looked over to see Solomon standing in front of us. “A new song has started,” he stated with a smile as the music became more gentle and quiet. “I’d love the chance to dance with Claudia. Might I cut in?” He held out his hand to me. Lucifer glared at Solomon for a few beats before taking a step away from me. 

“Fine,” I didn’t look him in the eyes as he spoke to me, “I get the feeling that you’ve gotten the message and you understand what I’m telling you, Claudia. I’m glad we got to have this little talk.” The sadist smiled as he walked past me.

“You look pale,” Solomon frowned as he gently grabbed my hand. “Did Lucifer say something to you?”

“Er, yeah,” I whispered blinking a few times. I had to calm down before I got too emotional. “Thanks for coming to my rescue,” I whispered as we started to dance. 

“No need to thank me,” the magician shrugged. “Think nothing of it. This is the Devildom,” he explained as we twirled around, “When it comes down to it, you’re human, and that makes you different. Never forget that.”

“Trust me, I can’t,” I said a little too bitterly. “Everyone always looks at me like I’m either useless and weak or their next meal. I’ve only had a few demons actually treat me decently. It doesn’t matter that I have several pacts, no one respects me. 

“It’s because you still lack the power to command them,” Solomon hummed. 

“So how do you command a demon you’ve made a pact with?” I asked. I needed to know if I was going to heal the demon brothers’ relationship. 

“Good question... Everyone has some amount of magical power by nature,” Solomon lectured, “However, there are some people in which it actually manifests itself and some people in which it doesn’t. Even among those in which it does, some have more of it than others. It varies based on the individual.”

“So because magic doesn’t manifest in me, that means I can’t command a demon’s powers, right?” I asked, understanding what Solomon was putting down. 

“Right,” he paused and then said with utmost seriousness, “Would you like me to lend you my power?” 

“What?” I froze. Our song had just ended and it felt like I could hear nothing but my rapid heartbeat. 

“Let’s just say I’m curious to know what would happen if I did,” Solomon smoothly replied with a smirk tugging at his lips. “You’re a destabilizing element here in this world. I can’t say what might happen if I do this, which is exactly what makes it interesting.”

“It seems a little sketchy but,” I thought back to my plan. I didn’t know how Solomon’s magic would help me, but I was feeling desperate. “...Do it.” I felt something warm but subtle energy surrounded me before it disappeared. 

“There,” he clasped his hands together. “I’ve put a spell on you. As if this moment,” he declared, “You have use of my powers for the next six hours. You should experience what it’s like to control a demon and use his powers. We are on a retreat after all,” he laughed a little too light-heartedly, “Why waste this opportunity? So, go,” he turned to leave “Show me what you can do. I’m counting on you to deliver.” The mysterious wizard vanished into the crowd of guests. Before I could even process what had just happened, I got tackled by a warm embrace. 

“Girly!” Aminata squealed and spun me around as she hugged me. “You look soooo cute! So sexy! So ow owie hot!” 

“Aminata!” I beamed as she set me down. “You’re here!” The witch had on a ridiculously puffy pink dress and a gigantic wig that looked like it was about to swallow her head. “You look good too, but that’s a lot of pink. I’m sure you know that already though,” I laughed. 

“Pff,” she fluffed her hair, “There can never be too much pink.” Aminata locked arms with me and started to walk me towards the table stacked with food. I could see Beel eating everything in sight as horrified guests could do nothing but watch in fear. 

“Aw,” Aminata pouted when we arrived. “Beelie!” She whined. “Why, you hardly left anything for us to nibble on.” Beel looked up from a platter that he had wiped clean. 

“Oh, hey Claudia, hey Aminata,” the sweetheart of a demon smiled at us. “Sorry,” he looked around at the bare table he had left behind. “I was just really hungry and it all looked so good…” His stomach made a noise and he patted it. “Just thinking about it makes me hungry. Oh!” His eyes lit up and he picked up a small plate and handed it to me. “I did save you a slice of cake since I know you like sweet things, Claudia.” He smiled. 

“Aw, thank you Beel,” I matched his smile as I took the plate from him. “I know how hard it is to resist food, so I appreciate that you held back for me.”

“So,” Aminata huffed, “You can hold back for your cutie girlfriend but not for the friend you’ve known for years?” Aminata giggled as she clutched onto her chest. “Ahh, the heartache!” 

“Girlfriend?” I yelped a little louder than I wanted to. 

“Anywhooo,” Aminata started to push me away, “You guys can make lovey faces at each other later, I’m stealing girly. 

“Oh, but-” Beel started to call out. “You look really good, Claudia! Like a strawberry shortcake!” 

Aminata led me over to the ballroom balcony. A cool breeze made contact with me the moment I stepped out and I shivered at the touch. I quietly stabbed my slice of cake with the plastic fork that had been sitting on it and waited for Aminata to speak. 

“I wanted to talk to you the moment I saw you walk in,” Aminata explained as she walked towards the edge of the balcony, “but I wasn’t about to interrupt your first dance with Mammy- which I saw that you didn’t even get to have since Lucy butted in. What’s up with that?” 

“Lucifer wanted to warn me- no,” I shook my head. “He threatened me like he always does. He sees me as a threat, I think.” I twirled my fork around. “I don’t understand why. Even if I am invading his family business, what can I do? I’m just a human- that’s all anyone sees when they look at me. He doesn’t clearly know my plans so why do I… scare him?” 

“Hm, it’s because things have been the same for the past hundreds of years so with you in the picture, there’s a lotta of unknowns,” Aminata explained. “I think, hm,” Aminata frowned, “I think Solomon saw that and that’s why he came up to you. The energy I’m getting from you is different now, what happened when you danced with Solomon?”

“He put a spell on me that grants me magical abilities for six hours but I don’t feel any different,” I admitted. “He basically wants me to amuse him but I don’t even know if I could perform a spell.” 

“I don’t really speak to Solomon, but he’s a little too mysterious for my liking so watch out,” Aminata warned me and I decided to bring something that had been bothering me. 

“That’s kind of ironic, Aminata,” I sighed and set my plate down nearby. “You say you don’t like mysteries, yet you’re friends with Nickels,” I huffed. “I heard your conversation with Nickels the day I woke up after Lucifer attacked me. His family is banned from the Devildom?” I shook my head in disbelief. “Is Nickels even his real name?” I asked. “I don’t know a thing about him yet he basically knows everything about me since he can read my mind. I really like Nickles but I need to know if he’s dangerous.”

“Dangerous,” I heard a deep voice speak up behind me, “Now that’s an interesting concept.” I felt my chest drop in my stomach as if I was riding a roller coaster. 

_ Oh no.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	30. Chapter 30: Do Demons Save the Last Dance of the Night for Someone Special?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia is confronted by Nickels and learns more about him than she had ever known.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to another chapter of Miracles! I just want to say thank you for sticking around for another chapter and wow, I can't believe that I've already written 30 chapters of this thing, haha. It's been a blast writing these chapters and I've regained my love for writing by making this story. I'm trying to not get behind schedule and be very constant of when I update, but if I'm not able to update due to the chaos of life then I'll make sure to let you all know. I'll at least try to provide you, hungry readers, with a short story. Anyway, please enjoy this chapter!

“I could be dangerous,” Nickels hummed as the heels of his shoes clicked on the marble-floored balcony, “and people view me as dangerous, but I assure you, I’m not.” The demon sighed as he moved to Aminata and joined her side. 

“Hey, hey hot stuff!” Aminata giggled as she greeted her companion. “You don’t look homeless for once! I should document this moment.” Nickels chuckled in return. 

“I er,” I stuttered, “I’m sorry, I hope I didn’t offend you Nickels!” I nervously picked at my nails. “I just have to worry about who I can trust in the Devildom.”

“No need to justify yourself,” he held up a hand to stop me as he replied, “I understand. Well,” He smirked and held out a hand to me. “How about I explain my situation while we dance? We might as well continue the trend that this night holds.” 

“As long as you don’t threaten my life or treat me like a toy, then I will certainly dance with you,” I joked with an edge of annoyance dotting my voice. I held out my hand to the demon and he started to lead me back inside. 

“Girly, don’t forget our plan!” Aminata sang. “I have a way I can help you out so come find me once you're done dancing so I can explain what’s what. I’m going to ask your boys for their help. They can’t say no to a pretty face and they especially can’t say no to you.” 

“You’re exaggerating,” I called back and turned my attention to Nickels. The music inside had become a swing-style tune and the guests were dancing the foxtrot instead of the waltz now. 

“So, where should I start?” Nickels asked himself as he turned to face me and joined the group of dancing guests. 

“How about we start with you telling me your real name?” I proposed with a raised eyebrow. “I assumed Nickels was a nickname but I didn’t know you were actively hiding yourself.” 

“I’m not really hiding, not truly,” he stated, “If I was, it would be pretty dumb of me to show up to this party.”

“It would be.” He chuckled at my snark. 

“Nickels is my author pen name in the human realm,” the demon explained as we spun around. “I don’t write just for fun, it’s actually my profession.” 

_ How come I keep ending up meeting magical creatures who happen to be authors with fake human identities?  _ I asked myself. 

“I write crime, unlike the fantasy author ‘Christopher Peugeot.’” It was clear that Nickels was also aware of Simeon’s secret. “My real name is Nicolas Charms but you can just call me Nickels. I prefer it.” 

“Why?” I asked, curious. 

“Well,” he frowned, “I don’t like to be associated with my family. They got banished from the Devildom, and that’s not an easy thing to do considering how we are in Hell, the mortal concept of all sins and evil,” his frown shifted into his signature smirk as he jested. 

“You don’t have to explain everything since I want to respect your privacy,” I stressed, “But what could they have possibly done to be banished, and how are you allowed to be here?” 

“They broke the most important rule in the Devildom,” Nickels brought me closer to him and whispered darkly, “Don’t fuck with Lord Diavolo and his right-hand man. Tread carefully kid, because one wrong move could lead to your banishment… or worse.” We pulled away from each other, the song fading into silence. 

“The only reason I’m allowed into the Devildom is that I am nothing like my parents and Lord Diavolo knows it,” Nickels explained but I wasn’t completely listening. I felt numb and jittery all at once. “...That opinion doesn’t hold for everyone though,” Nickels sighed, “So I keep a low profile.” 

“Do you know because you can read others’ minds?” I questioned as we moved from the dance floor to a corner of the golden ballroom. 

“Ah, I can’t read everyone’s minds. I’m not some omnipotent god, kid,” he clarified and his wings fluttered as his shoulders shook from laughing. “I can read the minds of humans and demons as long as they aren’t as powerful as me and don’t have ‘blocks’ in their mind.” 

“Blocks?” I tensed up my face in confusion. “Is that like a magical force that prevents you from reading someones’ thoughts? Or, er, something?” 

“Exactly,” the demon grinned and then scanned his ruby eyes around the ballroom. “Look over there,” his eyes paused on a scene in the distance and he pointed at a group surrounding someone. I saw that Nickels was pointing at a lively Asmodeus who was surrounded by wannabe groupies who worshipped him. Beside him was a tense Eisheth who just seemed to be dripping with envy and loathing. Although hostile, she still was beautiful. She wore a tight-fitting and revealing long black dress that had a slit on the side. The dress was a dark raven color that complimented her large spiky wings that were a part of her demon form. She tightened her grasp on her lover, but Asmodeus was too distracted to notice. 

_ Ugh,  _ I felt a bitter taste form in my mouth as I internally groaned.  _ Of course, she’s here. I better stay away so that she doesn’t try to start anything.  _

“I can’t read Asmodeus' mind because he actively keeps a block on his,” Nickels explained as we watched the scene perform out in front of us, “I can only read the mind of someone who is willing or weak-willed. She,” Nickels nodded at the hateful lover, “Is desperate for someone to notice her feelings so I can read her mind without any effort. It’s like…” He paused, musing over his words, “Hearing a conversation. Some are loud, some are quiet so they require more attention and focus.” He shook his head with a chuckle. “Her mind is screaming out at me. It’s pretty distracting.” 

“Really?” I scoffed in disbelief and stared at Eisheth to see if I could notice any vulnerability. She was as stone-faced as “ Stonewall” Jackson. My stare was apparently too intense because Nickels and I were quickly noticed. Asmodeus skipped across the ballroom, abandoning his adorers with pretty and empty words. Eisheth chased after him with distress; it was like if she lost track of him he would disappear forever. 

“Claudia, Claudia,” the lusty demon hummed, “I couldn’t help but notice your stare,” he purred. “Was I just so intoxicating that you couldn’t keep your eyes off of me?” He fluffed his hair and posed. In his demon form, Asmodeus had dainty bat-like and pointy fangs that reflected those of a vampire. 

“Er, sure,” I droned as I rolled my eyes. “I just couldn’t help but notice the large crowd around you. It was impressive, to say the least.” 

“Oh them?” He guffawed. “They were simply some admirers. I’m a pretty popular guy, but why wouldn’t I be? We already know that I am loved by all,” he falsely boasted. “So,” he tilted his head as he drew his honey eyes up and down Nickels’ body, “Who’s this? You’re hiding a boyfriend from us?” He teased. 

“Oh no no no,” I held my hands up, “This is Nickels, you’ve met him, even if he looks a little different tonight.” I knew that Asmodeus was self-absorbed, but I didn’t blame him for not being able to recognize the Nickels he had previously met. A nice suit and slicked-back hair made all the difference. 

“It’s nice to meet you again,” Nickels nodded towards him, “And this is..?” He asked as he cautiously glanced over at Eisheth. I tried not to look at her.

“I’m Eisheth, but most demons already know that,” she snapped like an alligator. “I have quite the reputation. I’m also Asmo’s lover,” she declared as she wrapped her arm around his waist. 

“But don’t let that stop you from enjoying all that I offer,” Asmodeus grinned at Nickels. “I already knew that you were a total hunk but you clean up really nice.” Asmodeus fluttered his eyelashes at Nickels. “Why don’t we-”

“Asmodeus,” Eisheth hissed, cutting him off, “What did I say about flirting? I thought we were going to try to have a… committed relationship.” Asmodeus looked ticked as he turned his attention to Eisheth. 

“Oh love, but I thought I made it very clear that our arrangement was one-sided,” he purred, not wanting to dwell on the subject. “It’s what you want, not me. How about we not talk about this now?” The demon suggested as Eisheth pushed away from him. “We can go ge-”

“You say that every single time I bring it up and what do you mean you don’t care?” Eisheth was refusing to back down. “You told me that you would try. For me.”

“Well, of course, I sometimes say that I don’t always mean,” Asmodeus smiled away his lover’s seriousness. He twirled a strand of strawberry blonde hair with a finger as he hummed. “You know that love. It’s so hard to not spread my love around when everyone wants me.” 

“You ass!” Eisheth snapped and looked around wildly. She spotted a servant walking around with a tray of drinks and snatched one before splashing the bubbling beverage all over Asmodeus. 

I gasped with a jump and tensed up as I waited for Asmodeus’ reaction. Everything and everyone seemed to have gone silent and I wasn’t the only one that was watching in anticipation. 

“My suit!” He squealed. 

“I’m tired of trying to love you!” Asmodeus’ lover screeched. “You made me feel so special the first time I met you but apparently I’m just like all of the other whores you hook up with, some damn toy. I’m tired of fighting this losing battle. You aren’t committed to me so I won’t be either,” a dark energy had formed around Eisheth and Nickels silently pulled me away from the pair. Things were about to go really bad until Barbatos gently placed a hand on the fuming demoness’s shoulder and offered her a polite smile. 

“Ma’am you’ve seemed to have too much to drink, how about I hail you a drive back to your home?” The butler suggested. 

“I am not-” She started to protest but froze when she saw Lucifer and Lord Diavolo approach the scene. “Yeah,” she whimpered and her wings fell in defeat. “I’ll go home,” her voice cracked and sloppy tears started to fall from her eyes. The dark energy around her deflated into nothingness. 

_ Man, _ I felt pity tug at my heart as I watched the defeated demoness.  _ Eisheth seems like a pretty mean person, but I feel really bad for her. Her boyfriend is a lying ass and she’s just embarrassed herself in front of all of the guests here.  _

“Fuck you. It’s over,” Eisheth hissed as she glared up at the dripping Asmo who was tugging at his clothes miserably and flipped him off. She stormed out of the ballroom and Barbatos let out a sharp sigh before running off after her. 

“I can’t believe you’ve embarrassed us and Lord Diavolo’s court like this,” Lucifer darkly whispered like a scolding parent as he dragged the whining Asmodeus away. He seemed to care more about the state of his clothes and hair than the demoness who just abandoned him. 

“The bigger concern is my suit!” He gasped at his older brother. “Look at what she’s done to it. It’s absolutely ruined!” 

“The suit will be the least of your concerns once I’m done with you,” Lucifer growled.

“Oh, kinky-! Ow…” Lucifer had stepped on the lusty demon’s foot in order to silence him and they disappeared down a hallway. 

“Sorry about the distribution everyone,” Lord Diavolo apologized to his guests, “But please go back to enjoying the ball. I know that our food selection will be replenished soon so feel free to try one of Barbatos’ famous devil cakes!” The lord announced as he gestured towards the table of food that Beel had previously annihilated. Rushed servants were restocking the table and fearfully looking around. It’s as if they feared that Beel would fall from the ceiling and inhale their progress in one breath. The image alone was almost enough to make me giggle but I had been so frazzled by Eisheth’s outbreak that all I could do was let out awkward and hazy breaths. 

“You think demons would be less dramatic and more sensible than humans considering our age, but I think we’re actually worse. We have more time to get bored and get into trouble,” Nickels mused with a laugh and patted me on the back. “Don’t worry about this too much,” he assured me, “I’m sure Aminata will be the first to tell you that this is a normal occurrence when it comes to Asmodeus.” 

“Well, speak of the devil- or um, witch,” I stuttered as I spotted a bubblegum blob of hair in the crowd. Aminata threw her hands up and rolled her eyes as soon as she spotted us, ready to express her adamant opinions. Behind her the demon brothers I had the closest relationship to were tagging alone. 

“My goodness, by the seven seas that whore is always caught up in petty drama!” Aminata huffed. 

“Eisheth or Asmodeus?” I cautiously asked with a smirk tugging at my lips. 

“Asmo, duh girly,” Aminata answered as she nudged my shoulder. “He drops lovers faster than fashion trends.”

“I thought this party was going to be lame,” Levi blabbed as he stopped in front of us tapping away on his D.D.D., “But now I can update my feed. ‘Asmo’s lover just went crazy and got kicked out! OMG!’ Sent!” 

“Are you okay, Claudia?” Beel asked as he moved to my side in concern. “You weren’t involved in that, were you?” 

“Not really,” Nickels answered for us. “I mean, we were,” he laughed, “But not at the same time.” 

“That’s good, I think,” Beel muttered and rubbed his stomach. “I’m glad that they are bringing more food out,” he beamed, “I’m starting to get hungry again.”

“They are only bringin’ food out cause ya ate it all!” Mammon snapped and butted in between Beel and me so he could be beside me. “Stupid Asmo and his drama,” Mammon huffed with irritation. “Next time he gets caught up in something like that he needs to keep it away from you. You don’t need that.”

“Mammon, are you worried about me?” I smiled and felt satisfied when his face turned five shades of red. 

“No! Um, I mean, maybe… Hey!” He jumped, changing subjects. “I still need that dance with you! I ain’t never got it and you’ve already danced with several guys. I’m your first, it should have been me!” 

An awkward silence surrounded our little group. 

“That’s not what he means,” I eventually spoke up. “He’s talking about being the first to form a pact with me,” I swore that everyone let out a sigh of relief as soon as I clarified Mammon’s innuendo. 

“Good, good…” Nickels mumbled and Beel nodded with a grunt. 

“N-Not like I care about normie stuff like that,” Levi declared, “But I’m glad…” Aminata just giggled at me with a suggestive smile and I shook my head at her. 

“What, what? I didn’t mean what?” Mammon daftly asked and I just laughed as I took his hand in mine. 

“Nothing, come on, let’s just dance!” I brightly smiled and felt disconnected from all of the worries that held me down. Just for a moment, even if it was only one song, I wanted to just share a carefree moment with my “first.” 

The rest of the ball was much more enjoyable after my dance with Mammon. He fumbled his way through it and got tense whenever we made contact but it was the best dance I had ever been a part of because I knew he cared. Afterward, I got confirmation from the brothers that they would help me search for Lucifer’s room. They were disinterested at first, according to Aminata once I later asked her how she got them to play along but she claimed that Levi was excited about how a picture of a sleeping Lucifer would blow up on social media. Levi and Aminata were then able to convince Beel to tag along after bribing him with a Hellfire-Baked Cheesecake from Madam Devian and then Aminata attacked Mammon’s loyalty to me.

“You wouldn’t want to disappoint Claudia, now would you?” She had whispered into his ear. After that, he agreed to the plan without hesitation. 

Lucifer never came back to the ballroom after removing Asmodeus from the scene so we all assumed Lucifer had gone to bed. It was getting late after all and the number of guests was dwindling. 

“...All right,” Mammon declared as all six of us huddled around outside on one of the balconies that came off of the ballroom, “So it’s time to commence Operation Photograph Lucifer Sleeping. Now, listen up you guys. We have to learn from our screw-ups last time,”-He was referring to the time he and a few of his brothers had attempted to do what I was doing now- “This time we gotta make sure we-” 

“Levi, Aminata, when do I get my cheesecake?” Beel asked, interrupting Mammon.

“You’ll get it when we’re done,” Levi shook his head, “You know, you’re drooling right now, Beel.” 

“Oh, I got Beely,” Aminata hummed and pulled out a pink handkerchief and wiped the drool from his mouth. 

“HEY!” Mammon yelled with exasperation, “Listen to me when I’m talkin’ to ya!” 

“You don’t want to do something stupid, I get it.” Nickels nodded to Mammon with his hands up. “Aminata and I can’t stay long since we are only guests here, but might I suggest that you three,” he pointed his attention towards the brothers. “Start looking where you might think his room is and we’ll get Claudia to try to get some information out of Lord Diavolo.”

“Wait, what?” I felt my eyes widened. “How am I supposed to do that?”

“The way that anything has happened tonight!” Aminata giggled and spun around. “With a dance! Oh!” She paused and clapped her hands together. “You could charm him. Seduce him with your womanly ways and then he’ll bring you back to his room and-” 

“Woah, woah, woah!” I fumbled and felt my body heat up in embarrassment from such a crazy idea. “No… Just no.”

“Ugh, fine,” Aminata crossed her arms, “Then just get a conversation started while you two dance and maybe he’ll bring up what room he and Lucy are staying in together, ya know, cause that’s totally what two buddies do when there are hundreds of bedrooms in a castle. Stay in the same room. Together.” 

“Ya, ya, Lucifer and Divaolo are a bunch of homos, we’ve made jokes for years,” Mammon crossed his arms. 

“Attention all guests,” we heard a stuffy voice speak up and I poked my head inside to see what was going on. The composer of the musicians who had been playing music all right stood holding a microphone and spook into it. “This next song will be our last. For the last dance, we would like to dedicate it to the lovers in the ballroom tonight.” There were a few drunken hollers and cheers. “For the lovers who stay,” the composer continued, “For the lovers who part, and for the lovers who aren’t sure yet, this one's for you.” 

“This is your chance girly!” Aminata loudly whispered as she popped up beside me. “Your only chance! Go, go, go,” she cheered as she pushed me inside the ballroom. 

_ But I’m not a lover and Lord Diavolo is definitely not my lover!  _ I wanted to protest but I had no time. Ignoring my nervousness, I hurried over to the other side of the ballroom where Lord Diavolo was chatting with an older demon gentleman. In his demon form, the lord was intimidating and dripped power and authority. However, even in his mighty form, the lord still had kindness in his golden eyes. His kindness gave me the strength to step up to him and in a small and polite voice ask, “Excuse me, Lord Diavolo? May I please share this last dance with you tonight?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	31. Chapter 31: Do Demons Plans not go as Planned?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia shares the final dance with Diavolo and feels herself getting charmed by the intimate experience. During the dance, she discovers where Lucifer's room is but things quickly don't go as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I'd first like to say that I'm sorry that I could not upload last week like planned. My entire week and weekend were monopolized by theatre practices and performances because much like Claudia in this story, I am a nerdy actor that loves the stage. It's over now so I should be a lot less busier and have more time to write. Secondly, I'd like to give a shout out to user awdr1w3r for the lovely fanart she made of Claudia, Nickels, and Aminata! She posted it on her Tumblr which is stag-eyes. Her art is amazing and so cute so I recommend checking her account out. Once again awdr1w3r, thank you!!!
> 
> Here's the link to the artwork: https://stag-eyes.tumblr.com/post/634426821552799744/hey-ive-been-gone-a-while-but-if-you-like-obey

“Excuse me, Lord Diavolo? May I please share this last dance with you tonight?” 

As soon as the question left my mouth, my legs started to shake and my palms grew sweaty. All of the worst possible outcomes ran through my head and a pessimistic voice screamed that the reply from the lord would be “No, why would I want to dance with such an awkward, weak little girl?” This was unrealistic and not even remotely close to what the good-natured Diavolo would say but at that moment I was drowning in my fears and believed anything that my mind fed me. I watched the lord’s expression intently, anxious to hear his reply. 

First, he looked shocked, but only for a second before he let out a booming laugh. It wasn’t mocking, but lighthearted and almost...happy. He melted some of my concerns away with a gracing smile and held out a hand to me. 

“A dance with one of RAD’s star exchange students? I wouldn’t miss it for the world, Claudia,” Lord Diavolo assured me as I gave him my hand. The low hum of instruments preparing to strike up a song drew us out to the center of the ballroom.

“Sorry, my hands are sweaty,” I whispered and apologetically winched. “They get like that when I am nervous,” I admitted. 

“Nervous?” Diavolo blinked blankly as he placed a hand on my waist. “Why are you nervous?” He really didn’t understand why I would be nervous in a situation like this. 

“Oh, I don’t know,” I laughed, “It’s not as if I’m dancing with one of the most powerful and beloved demons in all of the Devildom or something.” The low thrum of the music grew into a song and Lord Diavolo led me in the dance. From the corner of my eye, I could see Beel, Mammon, and Levi sneaking out of the ballroom. 

_ They’re off to look for Lucifer’s room, good,  _ I thought as I snapped my attention back to a smiling Diavolo. 

“Just because I am a prince and will soon be the king of the Devildom, that doesn’t mean I am any different than anyone else,” the lord replied comfortingly. “I would only want you to ever treat me like anyone else.” 

“Oh, of course!” I eagerly nodded, fearing he misunderstood me. “I’m not intimidated because you are a prince,” I said carefully, not wanting to give away too much, “But because you are such an accomplished and talented leader. Anyone could be born a prince, but not everyone can be a leader.” 

_ It also doesn’t hurt that you are extremely good looking, built like a tank, and have a smile that could melt any admirer’s heart _ , I silently admitted. 

“I think I understand now,” he nodded with a softness lining his features. A fond expression that I couldn’t quite place flashed across his face before it disappeared the moment it appeared. “Thank you.” 

“Ah, it’s no big deal, it’s just the truth,” I hummed and my mind scrambled to find a way to talk about Lucifer without making the conversation turn awkwardly sour. “I’m sure having such talented demons around you doesn’t hurt though. Lucifer seems like a very dedicated and hard-working right-hand man. If I had someone like that by my side, I know that I would be very grateful.” 

“He is the best demon I could have by my side, you’re right. I wish he would loosen up a little bit sometime and try to enjoy life but,” Diavolo laughed, “I am grateful for his support. Very grateful.” 

“The two of you seem very… close,” I said slowly. Sure, the pair of powerful demons could be labeled as friends but they were more than just friends. They were political allies, coworkers, and perhaps more? “You must care about him a lot if you are willing to abandon your room and sleep in a guest room with him. I’m an only child so I guess I am used to my privacy,” I explained, “But if I had the chance to sleep in a room by myself or share, I would rather sleep alone. The only reason I wouldn’t want to is that I really, really like that person.” 

“Well, this is the exchange student resort so I wanted this weekend to feel like a sleepover!” Diavolo excitedly exclaimed as he spun me around. “I’ve only ever heard about them in human stories and movies so I wanted to experience it for myself.”

_ He’s never had a sleepover before?  _ I felt sadness tug at the back of my mind.  _ That’s actually kind of sad. I’ve had plenty before and he’s a million years older than me. Unless they have really strict parents, almost every kid’s been to a sleepover. Lord Diavolo was a kid once, did he never get to have a childhood?  _

“That’s really sweet and cute,” I giggled, “I hope it’s been everything you’ve ever wanted.”

“It’s been an interesting experience, but I still haven’t had a pillow fight yet,” Diavolo sighed and put on a face that made the strapping lord look like a lost puppy. 

“Oh, I’m sure that you’ll experience one soon,” I hypothesized. The image of a hyper Mammon jumping around just itching for a fight popped into my mind. The music surrounding us was reaching its peak and I feared that I had little time left to get the information that I needed from Lord Diavolo. “Lord Diavolo,” I quickly spat out, “Speaking of rooms, I noticed that everyone is staying in the same hallway except you and Lucifer. Where are the two of you staying? Not far, I hope…” 

“Oh, we are staying in the hallway closest to the art exhibit. It’s three halls down from where you and everyone else are staying,” he explained. With a joyous laugh, the lord admitted that “Lucifer wanted to be close enough to keep an eye on everyone yet far away enough to not get a headache every time something went wrong.” With the final accumulating note of the song, Lord Diavolo lowered me into a dip. Our faces were so close that our noses almost touched. 

“Why did you want to know?” He asked, calm -unlike me- while staring into my eyes. 

“I er,” my brain was processing as it had just been fried, “I was just curious, that’s all.” As soon as I answered, Diavolo gently lifted me up and applause broke out around me. The remaining guests praised the talents of the orchestra and the musicians humbly bowed their heads. 

“I’m glad that I could share this dance with you,” Lord Diavolo told me with sincerity before he gently took my hand and placed a kiss on it. I could hear a gasp escape my lips at the contact. “Have a good night, Claudia.” 

He turned away and started to announce something to all his guests but I couldn’t hear anything except the drum of my heart. Feeling like I was floating, I drifted towards Aminata and Nickels who were patiently waiting to see what I had learned. 

_ Wow, _ I finally thought the moment my head had become more focused,  _ That was like a dream.  _

“Girly, girly!” Aminata snapped as she shook my shoulders. “Whatcha learn? Whatcha learn?” 

“Huh?” I blinked several times before noticing that Aminata was intently staring at me. “Oh!” I cleared my throat, regaining my composure. “Lord Diavolo and Lucifer are staying three halls down from where everyone else is staying. It’s the hallway closest to the art exhibit.” 

“Got it, I’ll tell the boys now,” Aminata jumped away from me and literally pulled her D.D.D. from her giant wig. 

“Aminata,” Nickels chuckled in disbelief, “Has your phone been inside your wig this entire time?” 

“Mhm,” she hummed as she started to type away on it. Once she finished sending the message to the brothers, she looked up to see Nickels and I share a look with each other. “What?”

“Uh,” I smirked playfully, “It’s just very… you to have your phone in your wig, that’s all.” 

“I tots feel bullied,” she whined and stuck her tongue out at us. “I can’t help it that this dress doesn’t have pockets. I don’t like carrying pockets so what was I supposed to do, guys? Stick it in between my b-” 

“I think it’s time that we head out Aminata,” Nickels quickly butted in and wrapped an arm around Aminata. “We’ll see you later kid, good luck at winning Asmodeus’ favor.” 

“Thanks, Nickels,” I smiled and sighed. “I’m worried about my chances of actually forming a pact with him but I appreciate your support. Have a good night you two.” 

“Ya betcha! I’ll have Beel’s Madam Devian’s Hellfire-Baked Cheesecake ordered and waiting for you and your boys once you get back from your victory!” 

“So you really are getting him that cheesecake?” Nickels asked with amusement. 

“Of course!” The witch gasped in return. “I would never go back on my word. Anyway, byeee Girly, you go get yourself another man!” Aminata hollered with a wave as my coworkers walked out of the ballroom along with the rest of the guests. Castle staff started to enter from the other side carrying brooms and dustpans. The once lively ballroom was being drained of life. All that remained was the remnants of the party. 

I quickly departed from the ballroom and when I arrived at the hallway that Lucifer and Diavolo were staying at for part of our retreat, I could hear the echoes of the demon brothers’ voices. 

“‘Let’s see,” I could hear Levi quote his latest tweet, “Diavolo and Lucifer’s room should be at the end of this hall.” And...posted!” He declared.

“He has to be asleep at this hour, right?” Beel asked, hesitation lining his voice. 

“Surely,” I yawned as I approached the brothers. They were now back in their human forms and had loosened the ties around their necks. “Why else would he not come back to the ballroom after escorting Asmodeus out?”

“Aye, ya back,” Mammon turned to face me. “We’ve checked all the rooms but this one,” he pointed back to the door behind the trio, “So this room’s gotta be theirs,” he reasoned. 

“... ‘We've made it to the door to his room’,” Levi dramatically quoted as he drafted his next post. “All right, Claudia,” the otaku looked up from his phone and nodded at me, “Let’s do this.”

“Okay,” I took a deep breath, “Let’s just be ready for whatever happens. Call me cynical, but nothing is ever easy and rarely goes the way I hope. It’ll be my luck that we end up getting cursed or something.”

“... ‘Commencing break-in’,” Levi said as he typed and Mammon pushed the door open with a little more gusto than needed. We were faced with a wall of darkness, and with hesitation, I slowly stepped through it. Once we were all inside, the door creaked shut and I tensed up. 

_ Lucifer better be a deep sleeper,  _ I wanted to mumble. 

“I can’t see anythin’!” Mammon whispered with irritation. 

“Let’s wait for our eyes to adjust,” Beel assured his brother at the same volume level. Before I could scowl the brothers for talking and possibly ruining our plan, a low growl rumbled around us. I tensed up with fear, wary of what lurked in the darkness beside us.

“Don’t make weird noises, Mammon,” Beel hushedly told him.

“Huh?” He was obviously confused in return. “You are the one makin’ the weird noises, Beel.”

“Oh,” Beel seemed stumped, “Guess it must be my stomach.” The growl built in volume.

“It’s not either of you, you dumb-dumbs,” I tried not to squeal and keep my voice low but I don’t know if they could hear me over the vibrating grr. 

“Beel,” Levi huffed, “I TOLD you to stop drooling, didn’t I? Ugh, gross” I wanted to scream at the idiots that surrounded me but I knew that we would be screwed if I brought any more attention to ourselves so I started to back up in the darkness, hoping that I could make it to the exit in time. 

“I’m not drooling right now,” Beel plainly stated. 

“Uh, yes you are,” Levi snapped back with sass, “You’re drooling all over my arm. I can feel it. Thick, sticky, warm drool dripping down onto me.”

_ First, ew, _ I managed to think over the alarm bells that were going off in my head.  _ Second, why am I surrounded by the cutest but biggest dumbasses ever?  _ I awkwardly fumbled in the dark, trying to find the door handle with my hands. 

“Hey, do you feel a breeze in here?” Mammon ludicrously asked his brothers. “Like every so often there’s this wave of warm, wet air, almost like something breathing on us and it smells like something dead.”

“Saliva and breath that smells like something dead,” Beel slowly repeated, “Sort of reminds me of Cerberus.”

“Yeah, I was thinking the same thing!” Levi quietly gasped.

“Wow,” I hissed, “It’s almost like Lucifer has Cerberus guarding his room or something.”

“Haha, yeah,” Mammon laughed, thinking that I was joking. “No way he’d be in here though, right?”

“You fuc-” I started to yell but was overpowered by a vicious roar from Cerberus. The three-headed hellhound was suddenly illuminated by the flames of fiery breath that were emitted from his mouth and the glowing eyes of the dog that were filled with blind rage. 

“I-IT’S CERBERUS!” Levi screamed while Mammon squealed.

“No shit!” I yelled back and in that second my hand landed on the door handle to the door that led back to the hallway. I tugged on it and couldn’t open it no matter how hard I tried. 

“Back out into the hall! Now!” Beel commanded.

“I think the door’s locked!” I spat back in panic, “It’s not opening no matter how hard I try!” 

“Wait!” I heard Mammon call out from the dark void, “There’s somethin’ over here! It feels like a door! C’mon, Claudia!” Mammon cheered me on and I felt his hand interlock with mine as he led me away. “It’s right here!” He explained and swung the door open. I squinted as we were faced with a blinding light and before I knew it, I was falling into a void of nothingness. My chest dropped and I lost my voice, unable to scream and unable to at least make a remark such as “told you so.” Nothing was ever easy. 

“OH NO, NO, NO, NOOOO!” Mammon’s panicked yells traveled down with us as we fell.

“I’M FALLIIIIING!” Levi squealed just after us, meeting the same fate. I looked up to see the two other brothers. Levi was awkwardly flailing around while Beel just looked miserable as he rubbed his stomach.

“I’m hungry…” He moaned. The brothers continued to scream and yell until we finally reached the cold pavement that ended our descent. Luckily, having Mammon to soften my impact prevented me from getting seriously injured. 

“Ugh, that was horrible,” I moaned as I pushed myself off of Mammon and held my hand out to him to help him up. The others seemed to agree with their “ow’s” and “ughs.” They had landed beside me and on some part of the poor Avatar of Greed. 

“Oh, YOU’RE in pain?!” Mammon scowled at Levi and Beel as he took my hand. “How d’ya think I feel being the one to soften everyone’s blow, huh?!” Once we all were standing, I took in the strange environment that we had landed in, only it wasn’t strange at all. I felt my heart drop like my stomach had moments ago. 

“Wait a minute,” Beel spoke up, likely coming to the same conclusion I had, “Are we where I think we are…?”

“The underground labyrinth,” Levi clarified, confirming all of our suspicions. 

“Again?!” Mammon threw his hands up in disbelief. I felt the same: if I had to go through all the madness I had previously gone through the day before, I might just rip all my hair out. 

“Ugh,” I rubbed my temples in exasperation. “Things just can’t get any worse, now can they!” Oh, but yes they could.

“Hey,” I turned my attention to Beel who called for our attention, “Do you hear something?” We all paused, hearing the slow drag of something heavy. 

“...Yeah, it’s like something big and heavy is sliding along the ground,” Levi chipped in. 

“Levi, are you sure your tail isn’t out right now?” Mammon poked his brother as he jabbed him with questions. “It’s not hanging down and dragging on the ground?”

“It’s the damn snake,” I growled. “I had to go ahead and say that things couldn’t get worse and then Henry 1.0 comes along! Fate is just saying ‘screw Claudia,’ huh?!” I was close to getting hysterical. 

“Oh no, Henry 1.0!” The brothers gasped as they turned to see the monstrous snake lurking down the hall. 

“RUN!” Beel hollered and scooped me into his arms. I wanted to protest but it ultimately was for the best that I didn’t try to run in a mermaid fitted dress and heels. 

“I can’t believe THIS is happenin’ again!” Mammon yelled as we scurried down the dark and narrow hallway that the labyrinth was leading us through. “I thought Asmo charmed this snake of yours, Levi! Why’s it comin’ after us?!”

“Because the charm wore off a long time ago!” Levi snapped back, breathless and annoyed. 

“This thing used to be your pet. Levi, can’t you do somethin’?!” Beel asked as we turned a corner. 

“If I could don’t you think I would’ve already?!” The third-born huffed. 

“Okay, grilled snake it is then!” Beel grinned. 

“I TOLD you, NO!” Levi growled at the always hungry Beel, “If you eat Henry 1.0, I’ll eat YOU, Beel! That’s a promise!”

“There’s got to be something we can do!” I exclaimed with urgency. 

_ Wait, but there might be something that I can do… _

“Beel, put me down,” I commanded calmly and with no way to disobey me, the demon set me down against his better judgment. I took a deep breath and turned to face the charging snake. 

“Hey, Claudia! What’re you doin’?!” I could hear Mammon yell out to me. Stretching my arms out and commanding in the most authoritarian voice that I could muster, I repeated the chant I heard Solomon say when he summoned Asmodeus to his side. 

“Hear me, denizens of the darkness, you who are born of shadow and you who give birth to it,” I felt as if I was not myself as the words effortlessly flowed through my mouth. It was as if I was meant for magic, as if it was a deep and buried part of me. “Hear me and do as I command! I call upon you to send forth one of your numbers!”A magic circle formed in front of me and only grew in intensity as I completed the spell with the final words: “I summon the Avatar of Lust, Asmodeus!” 

With a burst of powerful energy, Asmodeus appeared before me wearing a silk bathroom and slippers. He yawned having been disturbed while sleeping. 

“Solomon,” he sighed not realizing who his summoner was yet as he rubbed his tired eyes, “What could you possibly need at this hour? You know that lack of sleep is bad for my skin, right?” He opened his eyes and blanky started at us before stuttering, at a loss for words. “...Wha...huh? Wha? No way,” he wildly looked around, “How could I be here?!”

“Did Claudia just summon Asmo?” I heard Beel mutter behind me in shock. 

“Whatever, who cares?!” Levi walked up to Amso, roughly turned him around, and pointed at his once-beloved pet, “Just do something about Henry 1.0!” 

“How was Claudia able to…?” Asmo started to ask but I started to chant again. 

“Denizens of the darkness, awake! You who are born of shadow, hear me!” I called out to the void. Still glowing with energy, I felt confident and unstoppable as I directed my gaze towards Asmodeus, bringing a hand down to gesture at him. “I call upon you now to lend your power to Asmodeus, Avatar of Lust!” The energy of pure light engulfing me surrounded Asmodeus as well and he was brought into his demon form. 

“I don’t believe it,” he gasped as he examined himself, “Haha, what’s even going on right now…? This power… Not even Solomon has ever managed to draw this out of me…” He smiled at the snake that had frozen in its tracks in front of the demon. “Henry,” Asmodeus addressed him, “You can totally tell too, right?” The snake let out a loving purr as it dropped down to the charming demon’s level and rubbed its scaly head up against his. 

“Henry 1.0 is tame again!” Levi shrieked. 

“Hold on a second!” Mammon held his hands out as he suspiciously glanced over at me. “Asmo hasn’t made a pact with Claudia, has he? So what was he able to be summoned here AND have his power drawn out like that?!”

“And not only that,” Asmodeus chinned in as he casually placed his elbow on my shoulder, “Claudia’s got way more magical power than he does. Claudia dear,” he purred, “What exactly is the story with you, anyway?”

“It’s a long story, but let’s just say I had a little help,” I awkwardly laughed. I glanced over to see Henry playfully rolling around on the floor like a dog. 

“We can talk about this after we get back to the castle,” Beel grunted and patted his stomach. “I want the Madam Devian’s Hellfire-Baked Cheesecake that Levi and Aminata owe me.” 

“Cheesecake?!” Mammon snorted. “THAT’S the most important thing to you right now?!” 

“Hey, the man has his priorities straightened out,’ I smirked. “He’s talked about that cheesecake so much that now I’M hungry. Let’s just get out of here, pray that Lucifer does not kill us, and eat some cheesecake.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	32. Chapter 32: Do Demons Have Pillow Fights?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang gets scolded out by Lucifer, and Asmodeus makes a shocking declaration. Afterward, Claudia gets stuck in the middle of a fight that erupts into a pillow fight war.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I changed the rating of this story to mature due to some elements of my story that aren't particularly "bad bad," but don't warrant a teen rating. Asmo is mostly the reason for this change, haha, but future elements of this story are going to grow more mature so that was another reason I wanted to change the rating ahead of time. It's not a big deal but I just wanted to let you guys know!

“...All right, I understand how you got yourselves into this mess. It’s all too clear,” Lucifer sharply sighed with irritation as he rubbed his temples. I’m sure sitting around the dining table in the Demon Lord’s Castle with everyone who was on the retreat at midnight wearing pajamas wasn’t exactly how Lucifer planned to be spending his time, yet here he was, and it was all my fault. “And,” he hissed, “What’s also clear is that no matter where you go, you always manage to stir up trouble.”

“‘Currently getting reamed out by Lucifer’,” Levi glumly quoted as he drafted his latest tweet. 

“I couldn’t resist the allure of that cheesecake,” Beel sighed. 

“Just so we’re clear,” Mammon slammed his hands on the table and stood up, ready to defend himself, “I TRIED to stop ‘em! But they were all like, “This’ll blow up on social media” and, “I gotta have my cheesecake!” Claudia was the one who came up with the idea in the first place-”

“It was Aminata, actually,” I corrected Mammon. 

“ENOUGH,” Lucifer snapped, commanding all of our attention. 

“Yikes!” Mammon gulped and slowly slumped back into his seat. 

“Um, excuse me,” a nervous voice spoke up and we all looked up to see a timid servant standing in the doorway holding a white cake box. “I hate to interrupt but um, Devil Eats just dropped off this…” They paused to read the receipt on the book, “Madam Devian’s Hellfire-Baked Cheesecake for a Mr. Beelzebub.” 

“My cheesecake!” Beel gasped as he stood up, his eyes sparkling. He was like a kid on Christmas about to tear open a pile of presents. Lucifer held a hand out to stop him from tackling the poor castle staff member. 

“Who ordered this?” Lucifer demanded. The servant looked around and then realized Lucifer was talking to them. 

“Um, Um!” They panicked and scanned their eyes over the receipt. “The order was placed by an Aminata, no last name.” 

“I am going to kill that witch,” Lucifer groaned and started to pace around. While he was distracted, the servant awkwardly slipped over to Beel and dropped the box in front of him before rushing out and wishing us all to have a “verypleasantevening!” 

“Seriously,” Satan shook his head and placed his hand on the box, preventing Beel from indulging in his treat, “You guys failed the first time, and yet you had to try again and get Claudia involved,” he scowled at his brothers, “You guys never learn… You even let Aminata bribe you.” 

“Well, how were we supposed to know that Cerberus was in there?” Beel asked in return as he picked Satan’s hand off the box and opened it, licking his lips. 

“R-Right, yeah!” Mammon fiddled with his fingers as he carefully watched Lucifer, who was still pacing. “I thought that was s’posed to be Lucifer and Diavolo’s room!”

_ There’s no way that Diavolo lied to me,  _ I thought as I stared off into space, watching Beel shoving cheesecake slices into his mouth. I sighed and slumped in my seat, crossing my arms. The Lord and Barbatos were the only ones who were not present in the dining room with us and I was thankful. The last thing I wanted was for my dance with Diavolo to appear as if I was tricking him. I hadn’t had that intention, and I could easily see how it might appear to be that way. I didn’t think that I could handle seeing Lord Diavolo’s sad puppy dog eyes. The guilt would be too much to handle. 

_ Well, _ I focused back on my thoughts, _ the only conclusion must be that- _

“Lucifer placed a spell on his room, preventing any unwanted guests from entering,” I concluded and Lucifer stopped to meet my eyes. “That’s it, isn’t it?” 

“That’s correct,” he slowly nodded, “If you open the door without knocking, it transports you straight to Cerberus’ room.” 

“Why’d you do that…?” Luke asked as he rubbed his eyes. He sat next to me wearing blue pajamas with clouds on them. I patted his head, feeling guilty that I was preventing him from sleeping. Everyone had been stirred awake by my antics. 

“To prevent a certain someone,” Lucifer explained as he stared down a very greedy demon who gulped, “From breaking in and stealing any of the castle’s decorative pieces to sell for profit.” 

“Mammon,” Beel glared at his older brother with a full mouth. 

“Drop dead, Mammon,” Levi hissed, “Like, right now.” 

“Hey!” Mammon whined, “How’s this MY fault?!”

“It’s not,” I assured him with a smile and then paused. “Well, kind of.”

“Not you too, Claudia!” 

“Also,” Lucifer slowly hummed as he turned his gaze on someone else, “It would seem that a certain someone very KINDLY lent his powers to Claudia. Isn’t that right, Solomon?” Solomon chuckled, amused by the whole situation. 

“Hm? You mean there’s actually someone out there in the Devildom who’s that kind? Well,” He smirked as he crossed his arms, “It’s the first I’ve heard of this. Isn’t that right, Asmo?” He gazed at the demon to his right. Asmodeus wasn’t paying attention and he hadn’t the whole time Lucifer had us locked up in the dining hall. I found it unusual, but I assumed that maybe he was tired or just didn’t care. I certainly didn’t expect what came next. Asmodeus stood up and with a confident smile, he said:

“I’ve made up my mind. I’ll make a pact with Claudia.”

I swear that everyone let out an audible gasp, including me, when he uttered those words. I felt a shiver go down my spine as Lucifer shot me a toxic glare. It was as if he blamed me for his brother’s decision. 

“B-but,” I stuttered as I stood up, ignoring Lucifer, “I failed at the task you gave me…”

“Yep,” Asmodeus nodded with a bubbly giggle, “But I mean, even if Solomon did lend you his powers, it shouldn’t have been possible for you to draw that kind of power out of me, you know? I mean, you’ve got to admit, it’s super impressive! Claudia, you really were amazing down there!” I felt my face heat up at the unexpected praise. “So,” Asmodeus clapped his hands together as he looked around at everyone, “I’m making a pact with Claudia. I’ve made up my mind.”

“WHOA, HOLD ON!” Mammon holler as he held his hands out.

“I’m allowed to do that, right Lucifer?” Asmodeus ignored the flabbergasted Mammon as he tilted his head at the oldest brother. Lucifer said nothing in return, an icy aura emanating from him. Asmodeus shrugged, unbothered by Lucifer’s coldness, and moved over to where I was and guided me a few steps away from the others. Taking his hands in mine, he looked down at me with a smile. 

“I know we have different views and that you haven’t always liked me for what I’ve done- which I still don’t understand, because why wouldn’t you like me- but,” he hummed, “but I am going to take you up on making a pact with you because I respect you and the power that you hold.” 

_ Aminata was right, _ I felt my eyes widen,  _ he would only make a pact with me if he respected me.  _

“Thank you,” I smiled but then gritted my teeth together as I felt a burning sensation on my literal ass as I was surrounded by a pink energy. 

_ Of all the places for my pact mark to go why did it have to be my buttcheek!? _

“Source one more pact for the exchange student!” Levi hollered in celebration, “That makes four!”

“Mmm, cheesecake,” Beel moaned as he shoved another slice of his prize down his pie hole. 

After “scouring another pact” as Levi would put it, we all parted, tired and ready to go to bed. Having worn a dress that was starting to feel itchy and makeup that was starting to feel too cakey for hours, all I wanted to do was undress, take a shower, and pass out. 

I let out a sigh of relief as I stepped out of my room's bathroom wearing a nightgown and with my wet hair pulled back into a braid. I let out a grunt as I stretched before falling back into my bed with satisfaction. 

“Oh Claudia,” I heard Asmo purr my name as he slipped onto my bed and sat down beside me. I opened one of my eyes to see him smiling beside me. 

“Yes?” I hummed and watched him grab my left hand. 

“I am soooo excited to be in a pact with you,” he sang and studied the hand he was holding. “Now I can finally see what the big fuss is about. All Aminata and my brothers can do is talk about you. I was getting a little jealous,” he teased. 

“I’m a catch, what can I say?” I joked with a yawn. 

“Oh my gosh,” he gasped, “You have such long and pretty fingers!”

“I get that a lot,” I hummed as I closed my eyes again. 

“Interesting…” He mused. “Claudia, did you know that you have two moles on your hand? They’re so cute! Oh, and I loooove the shape of the nail of your thumb! Cute!” I opened my eyes and sat up. 

“My nail shape is cute?” I snorted with a smile. I crossed my legs in a more comfortable sitting position as Asmo searched for more curious tidbits regarding my body. 

“Wait, are your ears different?” He gasped and I nodded. 

“Yeah, they’re different shapes,” I confirmed the demon’s suspicions. “When I was born, one of them came out a little funny and I think it was because I was born prematurely. It’s not super notable unless you really pay attention.”

“Fascinating,” he scooted closer to me, “Come here, let me see your teeth.”

“My teeth?” I raised an eyebrow. 

“Go on, open your mouth… Let’s hear you say aaaah.” 

“Wait, I-” we both fell back and he landed on top of me. I tensed up as he giggled and hugged me. 

“Come on, there’s no need to be shy,” he purred. Even as I sat up, Asmo was still hugging onto me like a needy cat.

“You’ve certainly taken quite a liking to Claudia, haven’t you?” Simeon asked with amusement from the other side of the room. 

“Well of course I have!” Asmo gasped as he looked over at Simeon. “Otherwise, I never would’ve made a pact, would I?” 

“Still, who would’ve thought that Claudia kept such powerful magic hidden within…” Simeon said thoughtfully. “Where had it been hiding all this time, I wonder?”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” I shrugged and Amso moved to sit behind me.

“Well that’s what I intend to find out,” the lusty demon declared. “We’re going to discover where it’s hiding!” He placed his legs on either side of me and hugged me. “I’m going to take it nice and slow,” he whispered into my ear and I felt my body react in a very sensual way, “And be very thorough… ‘kay?”

_ Holy fuck no dirty thoughts, no dirty thoughts!  _ I scowled at myself. 

“Ooh, Claudia!” Asmo squealed as he nuzzled his cheek up against mine, “Is it okay if I sleep together with you in your bed tonight? You don’t mind, do you?” He asked excitedly.

“I-”

“Of course you don’t!” He cheered, not even giving me a chance to answer. 

“OH NO YOU DON’T!” We heard someone yell and our bedroom door slammed open to reveal Mammon ready to act as the PDA police. “Asmo!” He pointed at his brother with a hand on his hip. “What’re you doin’ in THAT bed and why do you have your arms around Claudia, huh?!” He stormed over to my bed and started to shoo Asmo off like he was a vulture. “You’re too close! Get away! Get away right now! Far enough away that I can’t see you! GO!” 

“So, Claudia,” Asmodeus hummed and played with my braid, ignoring Mammon, “When you wash yourself, where do you like to start? Because I like to start with my-”

“Hey!” Mammon jumped as he waved his arms around, “So you’re just gonna ignore me, are ya?! Also,” he huffed as he pushed Asmo away from me, “I SAID you’re too close! Don’t get near Claudia and NO touchin’! I won’t allow it!” Asmo hugged onto me again and Mammon tackled him.

“Oh brother,” I sighed as the two fought with me stuck in the middle. “Aye, aye, how about we calm down!” I meekly attempted to stop the chaos. 

“Wow, it’s loud in here,” I heard someone whistle and turned my gaze to see Satan in the doorway. “What’s all the commotion?”

“Claudia, Asmo, and Mammon are in bed together,” Levi gasped in a hushed nature as he popped in beside Satan, “Tangled up in each other and stuff! It’s hard not to fantasize about where this might be heading…”

“Levi!” I squealed, just knowing my face was as red as a rose. 

“Fantasize?” Luke babbled as he squeezed in between Satan and Levi to get inside our room. “Oooh, what sort of fantasy are we talking about?” Luke asked with wide eyes as he looked up at Levi. “Like knights and wizards and stuff?”

“Are they eating anything good in this fantasy?” Beel jumped into the conversion as he poked his head to see what was going on.

“Yup, yup, sure!” I yelled over Asmo and Mammon as I struggled to get out of the bed. “OW, Mammon, you just hit me and not Asmo!” Simeon sighed as he shook his head and moved to sit on his own bed. 

“Looks like it’s going to be another night full of drama,” the angel concluded as he looked over at the trainwreck beside him. 

“Asmo, you bastard!” Mammon huffed as he grabbed one of my pillows and raised it above his head. “Quit snugglin’ up against Claudia! Go away, you moron!” He demanded. Asmo blocked the pillow strike with an arm as he snorted. 

“Excuse me? It’s none of your business who I snuggle up to or get lovey-dovey with, now is it? Your constant yelling about it is annoying, to be honest!” Asmo spat out as he hugged me in protest. 

“I’ll be as annoyin’ as I have to be!” Mammon growled, “Whatever it takes to get you off of Claudia! Get away, get away, get away, GET AWAY!” He chanted. 

“Uh, you never shut up, do you?” I could just feel Asmo roll his eyes behind me. “Anyway, why should I listen to you? Who made you boss? Honestly, it doesn’t even make sense.”

“Cause I was the FIRST one Claudia made a pact with,” Mammon attempted to justify his outrage, “You’re the fourth demon- the FOURTH! That makes me Claudia’s first man! So, of course, you should keep your hands to yourself when I’m around, out of respect!” 

“Excuse me… what?” Asmodeus tried to stop himself from laughing. “Did you just call yourself first man? Are you TRYING to make me laugh?”

“Guys-” I attempted to interject but failed. 

“Anyway, it doesn’t matter who was first,” Asmo determined. “If Claudia didn’t like snuggling with me, then it would be different. Otherwise, what gives you the right to boss me around?’

“Guys-!”

“Claudia!” Mammon jumped in front of me. “Don’t be shy! Let him have it! Tell this numbskull that he’s too close and he needs to back off!”

“He doesn’t know what he’s talking about, does he, Claudia?” Asmodeus butted his brother out of the way as he tried to get my attention. “Naturally, you’re happy to have someone as beautiful as me by your side, now aren’t you?”

“Both of you! Please, enough!” I yelled, silencing them. Everyone in the room had their eyes on me, waiting for my next words. 

“Mammon,” I smiled at him with a nod. “I appreciate you trying to look out for me, but right now it's a little much, especially considering the fact that I’m tired and want to go to bed.”

“See, I told you,” Asmo stuck his tongue out at his brother.

“BUT,” I focused on Asmo. “The snuggling is a bit much. I know that you are just showing that you care, but I’m not used to a lot of… touching and being intimate so please give me a little space at times and allow me to get used to it…” I blushed as I looked down at my lap, “I kind of like it though but um, yeah, just stop for now.”

“Aww, there’s no need to be shy, Claudia,” Asmo smiled and backed away. “Okay, I’ll just wait until you’re ready and then we can do lots of snuggling, okay?” 

“Ugh!” Mammon huffed. “I don’t care if this is too much! I’m never leavin’ you two alone,” Mammon grabbed a pillow and narrowed his eyes, “NEVEEEER!” He threw a pillow right at Asmo’s face. 

“What do we have here? Two idiots fighting over a normie?” Levi asked with a frown. “Pff, they can both kneel over and die for all I care.” 

“Hey!” Asmo gasped and pushed the pillow off his face. “You just threw a pillow at my FACE!”

“What about you Beel?” Luke piped in as I saw him tug on the demon’s shirt. “I notice you aren’t getting involved but you’re in a pact with Claudia too, right?”

“I’m too hungry right now,” Beel rubbed his stomach, “Don’t feel like it. Anyway, it’s her choice to decide that.” He grunted as he nodded at me. 

“Thanks, Beel!” I yelled over an Asmo rage scream. 

“I can’t take this anymore! I wish you’d just disappear!” Asmo screamed at Mammon while I just sighed, slipped past the two, and crawled into a sleeping position on my bed. “You can burn in the fires of hell for all I care! If I could snap my fingers and send you there right now, I’d do it!” 

“Things are only going to escalate if nobody stops them,” Simeon warned everyone. 

“Hey, I already tried,” I mumbled as I closed my eyes. “I give up. I’m going to sleep,” I yawned. 

“Then why don’t you stop them, Simeon?” I heard Solomon ask in a catty remark. 

_ Looks like Solomon’s joined us now,  _ I numbly thought, not bothering to open my eyes.  _ Because apparently, my room has to be the big hangout for everyone.  _

“Hmm,” Simeon paused to think but not for long. “I think I might just wait a little longer and see how things go before stepping in. 

“That’s it,” Mammon’s voice became darker, “you shut that big fat mouth of yours RIGHT NOW, you motherfucking dirtbag slut!”

“Oh yeah?” Asmo hissed and I moaned as I covered my ears with a pillow. I could still unfortunately hear them. Hell, I’m sure the entire castle could hear what was going on in my room. “Well, you’re money-grubbing trash!” Asmo shot insults back at Mammon and I could hear pillows flying as they both screamed. “A scumbag who’d sell his soul for a Grimm! The only thing that might make up for your awful existence is if you just ended it! Now!”

“HEY, that’s no way to be talkin’ to your older brother, now is it? You’d better start showin’ me some respect.”

“Respect?! What did YOU ever do to earn my respect?” Asmo snapped back. “I’m EMBARRASSED to have someone like you for an older brother! Mortified, even!”

“All right, you two, that’s enough,” I heard Satan step in. “Stop throwing pillows at each other. You’re sending dust everywhere.”

“It’s no use,” Levi explained, “They won’t listen. It’s like they can’t even hear us.

“Fuck you, you dick!” Mammon cussed. “And… and also, you’re a…” He paused, thinking of a worthy insult. “Um, a dicksucker!” 

“Maybe it’s time you learned some new words, Mammon because your vocabulary range is pathetically small!” Asmo laughed as he probably swung a pillow at his brother. “Just what’d I’d expect from the stupidest demon in the Devildom! You really set the bar for what stupid can be!”

“WHAT?!” Mammon hollered, his honor attacked. “SAY THAT AGAIN! I DARE YA!” He launched several pillows at Asmo haphazardly, including the one I was using.

“Hey!” I protested as I sat up, my eyes shooting open. At the same time, Satan was trying to contain the fight. 

“I told you, stop throwing pillows at- mphuh!” He fell silent as one of the pillows that Mammon aimed at Asmo landed on Satan’s face. The room’s atmosphere shifted to a tense and quiet one as everyone watched the pillow slide off Satan’s face and plop to the ground. Satan twitched before exploding with rage and transforming into a side of him that I had never seen before. 

“THAT’S IT!” The room shook as if there was an earthquake. “I’M GONNA KILL BOTH OF YOU!” 

“Pff, lol,” Levi started to snap photos as Satan started to viciously attack his two idiot brothers with pillows. “Satan’s got serious anger issues, LMAO.” A pillow that Satan launched smacked Simeon in the arm and Luke huffed as he grabbed a discarded one that had been left by his feet. 

“Hey, Satan!” Luke called out, “What do you think you’re doing throwing a pillow at Simeon?! Take THIS!” He boldly raised the pillow above his head and launched it while shouting “SUPER CELESTIAL SHOOTING PILLOOOOOW!” 

“Eeek!” I jumped out of my bed and scrambled towards the door, wanting to get away from the battlefield. I stumbled next to Beel who was watching the scene with wide eyes. 

“Look at the huge marshmallows flying through the air…” He told me as he licked his lips. “They look so yummy, mm…” As if in a trance, the demon walked over and tried to bite into a pillow. Asmo squealed and tried to regain his pillow from Beel.

“Solomon!” Mammon pointed at the wizard, ready to attack anything in sit. Solomon had been smugly watching the fight from a distance and Mammon had taken notice. “You son of a bitch,” Mammon growled, “You think you’re SO GREAT just ‘cause you’re a human like Claudia!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I take it you’re trying to start a fight with me, Mammon?” Solomon asked as he stepped up to the demon. 

“And this is the part where I leave and find a new room to sleep in,” I muttered to myself as I crept towards the door but paused when I came face to face with Lucifer and Lord Diavolo who had just stepped into view. 

“Just WHAT do all of you think you’re DOING?” Lucifer barked and everyone froze.

“That’s a good question, yes.” Lord Diavolo sighed as he nodded his head. “Really, I have to say, I’m disappointed."

“Diavolo,” Lucifer turned towards the lord in panic. “I promise you that I’m going to have a good long talk with them, and ensure that-”

“I mean, a pillow fight?” Diavolo lit up with excitement. “You know,” he nudged me, “I was JUST telling Claudia how I always wanted to have one! How could you do something fun like that and yet not think to invite us?” He let out a gleeful laugh, overwhelmed with excitement. 

“...What?” Lucifer was taken aback.

“It’s a pillow fight, Lucifer! A pillow fight!” Diavolo squealed as he shook his right-hand man’s shoulders. “This is what overnight retreats are all about. I mean, it’s straight out of the book  _ Youthful Fun 101 _ !”

“No, I’m sorry,” Lucifer said sternly as he placed his hands over Diavolo’s. “Starry-eyed nostalgia is all well and good, but I won’t stand for this.”

“You’re lettin’ your guard down, Asmo!” Mammon turned towards his brother who was in the same direction and with a snicker, launched an attack at him. “TAKE THIS!” Amso ducked down and so the pillow didn’t stop until it hit Lord Diavolo right in the chest. 

“Oof!”

“Uh-oh!” Mammon gulped. 

“Mammon scored a critical hit on Lord Diavolo,” Levi laughed as he gave commentary, “He just pulled some SERIOUS aggro from Lucifer now!”

“...Anyone who dares throw a pillow at Diavolo must,” Lucifer said slowly in a calm tone- far too calm for my liking- as he picked up a pillow, “DIE!” With a killer throw, Lucifer struck Mammon right in the gut. He clutched onto his stomach, and letting out a pained noise, fell onto his knees. Then, he fell on his face as if he had been shot. 

“Ahaha!” Asmo let out mocking laughter as he pointed at Mammon. “Lucifer totally hit you square in the gut with that pillow, Mammon! Serves you right!” 

“He can’t hear you, Asmo,” Satan explained as he poked the defeated Mammon, “He’s out cold.”

“Wow, it’s as if he really did intend to kill Mammon,” Solomon laughed, “That’s how hard he threw that pillow. I mean, I’ve never seen a pillow fly through the air so fast that it was on fire.”

“That was incredible…” Luke shook his head in disbelief, “Are Devildom pillows made to function as weapons too?!” 

“Probably not,” I hummed and fiddled with my hands. All I wanted was for Lucifer and Lord Diavolo to step out of the doorway so that I could escape the room and get a few winks of shuteye. 

“All right,” Lucifer smirked as he scanned the room, “Any of you who are brave enough to take a pillow to the face, step forward!”

“Lucifer, I’ll help you reload!” Diavolo suggested with glee as he picked up pillows. “Tossing more pillows your way!”

“Got it, Diavolo!” Lucifer nodded back at his companion, “Just leave the rest to me!” 

_ Have fun with that, you two, _ I thought, and carefully slipping past both Lucifer and Diavolo, I stepped out into the hall. Behind me, I could hear the screams of bloody murder as everyone faced with the wrath of Lucifer. I gently closed the bedroom door behind me, paused, waiting to see if anyone noticed, and let out a sigh of relief when no one had. I carefully looked up and down the hall before dashing off, ready to find another room. I was not about to become the next victim of the pillow fight murders being inflicted by Lord Diavolo and Lucifer. 

Though my night had been full of the chaos that came with friends, dances, pillow fights, and drama, I could safely say that it was a success. 

_ With another pact secured,  _ I thought as I slipped into an unoccupied bedroom,  _ I am one step closer to freeing Belphegor. One step closer to bringing this broken family together.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	33. Chapter 33: Do Demons Make (God Awful) Breakfast?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia has a dream that seems to continually plague her mind and when she wakes up, she prepares breakfast with Barbatos. Everything is going smoothly until Solomon decides to help.

_ “Why am I here?” I asked as I looked around at the pastel purple and dream-like setting I was in. “You’ve told me who you are, but you haven’t told me what you want from me.” _

_ “Yes, I haven’t but how do you know I want something?” I was asked in return. _

_ “Because…” I hesitated. “Because I know how I- you are. You wouldn’t do this unless something important was going on. Am I right?” _

_ “You are, of course. Look at you, smart cookie.” I got a giggle with that playful response. “Well, you’ve been chosen for something very important. It’s a miracle that it even happened….”  _

_ “I don’t believe in miracles.” _

_ “That’s not true. You did, once.” _

_ “Really?” I huffed as I crossed my arms. “I’m not sure about that.” _

_ “You used to be so idealistic. Even in this life as a child, you were so happy and carefree. But the world and its troubles have beaten you down, haven’t they?” I nodded but said nothing. “You’ve been chosen for an exchange program with demons in the realm known as the Devildom. Maybe it’s pure luck or maybe it’s destiny, but you need to go.”  _

_ “The Devildom…” I repeated slowly with suspicion. “Just what kind of cartoonish name is that?” I laughed and smirked at who stood before me. “What is it, just another name for Hell?” _

_ “It’s inside Hell, yes.”  _

_ “Wow-I-” I huffed and ran a hand through my hair. “Okay… so let’s say I’d even think about doing that. Just,” I clapped my hands together as I asked: “just why do I need to go?” _

_ “There is a family of demon brothers- ṁ̷̛̛̩̘̫͖̭̮̑̅̎̽̃̆͐̊͌̓̌̈́̕̕͘͜͝y̷̨̨̧̨̨̳͖̰͇̰̪̺͑͐̍́̚͝ ̸̹̰̜͇͉͈̂͛̔̽̂̈́̏͜͜͝͝b̴̡̞̪̻̻̦͔͙̰̹̱̉̈́͌̉̒̊̓̏̈̚͝ͅr̴̻̺̪͖̰̯͕̜̙͕͌͗̓́͒̅̈̓̃͆͌̑̾̂͂̌̔͊̚͝ō̷̡̠͔̟̥̟̤̬̮̫͇͕̳̙̮̞̑̏̎t̶̨͚͈̩̙̟͇̬͖̱̜͕͎̋͒̓̿̾̋̍͗̿̌͐̑͑̏̈́͐̈̊̚͜h̵̢̜̩̦̲̰͔̦̻̣̝̠͆ę̷̨̡͖̮͙̠̘͍̙̦̠̖͈̲̭͈̫̟̜̠̂̆̓̽͛̅̾ͅṛ̵͚̯̰͔͚͔͉͍͈̝̲̱̗͐̌̌̿͜͝s̶̨̨͇̭̼̠̝̹̪͒͆̽̔̍̂̊̽̋̑̅̾̈́̒̐͗̑̇̈̚̚̚ ̶̢̛͉̫̼̤̱̤̩̜̯̼̟̦̤̫͓͐͑̄̾̑͒̀̓̿̈́̂͂͋̒͘- that were once angels. They are now fallen, living in the Devildom and serving the Demon Lord known as Diavolo. They have lived peacefully for centuries but carry a heavyweight that only worsens with time. I once knew them and loved them but I now am no longer a part of their life- but you can be.” _

_ “And I can do that through the exchange program, right?”  _

_ “Right.”  _

_ “If you enter the exchange program, I know that you can change this. They loved you and I know that they will love you again.” _

_ “An exchange program, with demons?” I laughed so hard that I snorted. “Now you really are sounding crazy.” _

_ “I know,” I got a smile that matched mine in return. “But it’s the truth, no matter how insane it sounds.” _

_ “How,” I paused for a moment, questions racing through my head. “How do you- I?” I scratched my head, still confused. “You,” I decided on, “Know about this?”  _

_ “I watched over the Devildom for years and I know Lucifer, he will be drawn to you.”  _

_ “Lucifer, wow,” I shook my head. “The Lucifer?” _

_ “Exactly. If you don’t want to go to the Devildom for yourself, could you go for them? They are suffering and they have for a long time.”  _

_ “Suffering? But what can I do?” I fiddled with my hands. “I like helping people, but not when it’s impossible.” _

_ “I know you can.” _

_ “I guess I should trust you, after all, you know what you are talking about.”  _

_ “More like you know what you are talking about,” a tease.  _

_ “Haha,” I wrinkled up my forehead. “I’m still wrapping my head around all of this. I don’t want to believe you, but hell, how can I ignore you- me- ah, see? It’s confusing.” I laughed until it faded away into silence.  _

_ A pause.  _

_ “Will you help them?” _

_ I hesitated before speaking. _

_ “Will they even accept my help?” _

_ A laugh echoed like a thousand chiming bells. _

_ “Not at first, but I know they will one day. They’re so stubborn. Well, stubborn is an understatement, haha.” _

_ “...Fine, I want to help.” _

_ A contract was handed to me. _

_ “Make sure you pack everything you need, this will be a long journey. When you’re ready, just sign your name on the contract.”  _

_ “This is insane-” _

_ “Or perhaps a miracle?” I was interrupted with a smile. _

_ “Yeah, a miracle.”  _

_ A pen appeared in my hand like magic and I looked down at the contract in my hands. On it was the official symbol of the Royal Academy of Diavolo, a bunch of text that I didn’t bother to read, and a blank spot for my signature. I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the life-changing decision I was about to make. I pressed the pen down and signed my name: Claudia Robinson.  _

_ A light surrounded me and I wildly looked around in a panic.  _

_ “What’s going on?” I demanded.  _

_ “It’s time for us to say goodbye,” I could barely hear over the energy that was building in volume.  _

_ “Will we ever meet again?” I yelled out.  _

_ “Of course, I am always a part of you. For we are one and the same.”  _

“Claudia,” a voice called out and I mumbled incoherently as I tossed around in my sleep, slowly regaining my consciousness. “Claudia?” The voice called out again and I felt a gentle tug on my arm. I slowly opened my eyes and it took my brain several seconds to understand what was going on. Standing over me was the patient Barbatos, waiting for me to fully wake up. 

“Miss Claudia,” the butler nodded at me with a smile. 

“Good morning Barbatos,” I yawned as I sat up in bed. My eyes felt heavy with sleep and I wanted to do nothing more than slip back into my original pose and fall asleep all over again. “Did I oversleep?” I asked and picked up my D.D.D. that was laying beside me to check the time. My lips curled into a frown as soon as I checked the time. 

_ You’ve got to be kidding me, it’s only 8! I only got six hours of sleep… Kill me,  _ I thought and rubbed my eyes. 

“Is there a reason you woke me up at this hour ?” I snapped a little too harshly. The lack of sleep always put me in a foul mood.

“Of course,” Barbatos responded, unfazed. He turned to gesture to my bag which was sitting on a chair beside the bed I was resting in. “I’ve brought your belongings so that you can get ready and meet me upstairs in the kitchen so that you can prepare breakfast.”

“Huh?” I blankly stared at the butler before realization hit me. “Oh, oh!” My eyes widened and I jumped out of bed. “I’m supposed to prepare the last meal of the resort, that’s right!” I gasped. 

“That’s right,” Barbatos nodded, parroting my words. He watched with mild interest as I dragged myself over to my belongings and started to dig through them. 

“Thank you for bringing me my stuff,” I politely told him without looking up, “and um, thank you for waking me up even though I feel like the walking dead.” 

“It is no issue at all,” Barbatos hummed as he started to make his way towards the door, “I am only doing my duty as a servant of the crown.”

“Is anyone else awake?” I asked with concern as I looked up to see the teal haired demon standing in the doorway of the guest room.

“No, there is no need for you to rush,” he assured me, “I have a feeling it will take some time for everyone else to awake. I only woke you up so early because we need enough time to prepare enough dishes to satisfy Mr. Beelzebub’s appetite.” 

“Of course, of course,” I mumbled as I shook my hand. I couldn’t help but smile. Beel’s appetite never stopped surprising me. 

“Well then,” Barbatos cleared his throat and bowed his head, “I will see you in the kitchen.” Without another word, he left, leaving me to my own devices. I waited for a few beats before slumping over the chair in front of me and letting out a heavy sigh. 

_ What was that dream?  _ I thought as I held up a shirt, ready to see if it was worthy of wearing.  _ I feel like I keep having it, too, and I can never fully remember it.  _ The more time that passed, the fuzzier my mind got as I got ready. Even as I walked towards the kitchen, I was lost in my thoughts, consumed by my strange dream. 

_ So there’s me, and it’s like I’m floating somewhere that’s like space… but then I can’t remember who I’m talking to but I seemed to trust them. Ugh, why can I always remember dreams clearly at the moment but then completely forget them five minutes after I wake up?!?  _

I decided to give up on understanding my dream once I entered the large castle kitchen. A large rectangular space, the kitchen was a paradox of homely and professional. The brick walling and cobblestone floor that was covered in rugs were very old fashioned yet the shiny top of the line appliances made it very clear that I had not been transported hundreds of years back in time. Barbatos stood near one of the kitchen islands with a cookbook in his hands, shouting stern commands at the kitchen staff. I said nothing, not wanting to interrupt whatever was going on. It didn’t take long for the butler to notice me out of the corner of his eyes and look up at me with a reserved smile. 

“Ah, Claudia, you’ve arrived just in time,” he turned to nod towards a collection of human realm breakfast ingredients that looked only all too familiar to me, “I just had the staff set out the ingredients I had exported from your realm. I was unsure of which nation you hailed from but you have a ready collection of breakfast ingredients from a variety of human cultures before you.”

“I’m from America,” I explained as I stepped up to the overwhelming pile of food. “And thank you, even if this is rather extreme…” I scratched my head, unsure where to start. “I’m not the most experienced cook so I’m sorry if my range is pretty limited.” 

“Do not worry Miss,” Barbatos assured me as he joined my side, closing the book in his hands, “I am prepared to assist you in whatever way I can. If you can pick and prepare the main dish, my staff and I will aid you in making sides.”

“I want, um…” My voice trailed off as I carefully thought about what to make. 

_ I want to show how much I care about my friends. I want to- _

“Make french toast!” I blurted before looking up at Barbatos with a timid expression. “I think everyone would enjoy french toast.” 

“Of course,” Barbatos bowed, “And what should we have to compliment the french toast?” 

“A mixture of fruit, sausage, and little personal bowls that hold powder sugar and maple syrup,” I replied confidently. “Oh, and for drinks, how about English breakfast tea and fresh-squeezed orange juice?” 

“What a perfect selection,” Barbatos responded, seeming pleased with my plan. He turned outward to face the staff members awaiting orders. “You heard Miss. Claudia, start washing and cutting fruit. Save the bananas for last so that they don’t appear brown by the time our guests eat,” he commanded and left my side to oversee his staff. I moved to go wash my hands in a sink nearby and felt my face heat up. 

The last time I made french toast, I made it for the people I loved. It was Mother’s Day and I can still remember how I stressed over every little thing as I prepared the ingredients and tea. The anxiety of not getting everything right washed away the moment I saw the happy faces of the two most important women in my life as they took their first bite. 

_ They aren’t with me right now and it may be a long time until I see my family again,  _ I thought gloomily as homesickness washed over me.  _ But I can show how much I… care about the new people in my life.  _

I fell into a rhythmic pattern as I started to cook, becoming more relaxed than I previously was. The distraction allowed me to forget about just how tired I was and how I was being plagued with weird dreams. The only time I was pulled away from the toasting bread in front of me was when Solomon entered the kitchen and playfully tapped me on the shoulder. 

“Hey,” he smirked when I looked up towards the touch. “I knew I smelled something good,” he hummed when he looked down at the frying pan I was standing over. 

“Oh, good morning Solomon,” I greeted him politely. “I’m just making french toast since I am in charge of our trip’s last meal.”

“Can I help out?” He asked as he looked over the unnecessarily large stake stack of ingredients. 

“Sure,” I responded, not thinking much of his question. “Go ahead and make anything you want, as long as it’s not french toast,” I playfully jabbed. 

“Don’t worry, don’t worry,” he hummed back in the same tone, “I don’t plan on stealing your thunder… yet.” 

“Well, I don’t plan on it happening ever,” I smiled and looked back down at the frying pan. “Anyway, I’m glad to have the extra help.” 

It took only five minutes for me to regret my decision to allow Solomon to help. Apparently, it doesn’t matter how old and experienced someone is because they can still be a god awful cook. After the third time Solomon almost caught the kitchen on fire, I decided that the man could probably burn water, that’s how bad of a cook he was. I looked at the plate of seemingly unsuspecting breakfast tacos in Solomon’s hands with fear as we brought out all the food to the already set table in the dining hall.

Once I had set down my tray that was stacked with french toast slices, I casually moved over towards Barbatos who was placing the teapot full of tea on the table. 

“Next time,” I whispered to him, “Remind me to never let Solomon step within three feet of a kitchen ever again.” The butler laughed and nodded.

“Yes, I should have warned you about the remarkable lack of skill that master Solomon has in the kitchen,” Barbatos worded his words carefully as he watched the cheerful Solomon move to a seat, “But by the time I noticed he had entered the kitchen he had already caught something on fire.” 

_ I should probably try to warn everyone about Solomon’s tacos because there is no way that they are safe for consumption. After the meat was caught on fire three times I can’t believe that they still look good. What did Solomon do to those tacos? I know he epically fucked up and it wasn’t a dream because the burnt smell still lingers in the kitchen….  _

Heavy sighs and groans caught my attention and I turned to see sleepy demons and angels enter the dining hall. Diavolo and Lucifer were not present in the entering group. The present brothers were bickering about various things such as hungry and bad skin. 

“I guess no one got enough sleep last night, did they?” Simeon asked with a smile, seemingly unfazed. I could tell it was only just an act due to the heavy bags present under his crystal eyes.

“Well, that pillow fight did keep going until nearly dawn,” Solomon chipped in from his seat. 

“Of course it did,” I shook my head with a sigh.

“Good morning, everyone,” Barbatos commanded the guests' attention. “Oh, I’m sorry,” he pulled out his pocket watch and studied it, “I suppose it’s not correct to say good morning, considering it’s past noon already.”

“Is that sarcasm I hear?” Satan frowned and I giggled. “...Anyway where’s Lord Diavolo? I haven’t seen him yet this morning.”

“He’s still in bed,” Barbatos explained, “He and Lucifer stayed up talking well after the rest of you went to sleep, you see.” 

“Can we get to the part where we eat now?” Beel whined as he leaned on the closest person to him, which was Levi. The geeky brother attempted to push Beel off to no avail. “I’m hungry…”

“Of course,” I exclaimed, “Because the best way to wake up is to get some energy into your system and there is no better way to do that than eating Claudia’s super-special-made-with-love french toast!” I did jazz hands towards the beautifully set table. “And um, tacos…” I tried to keep my face neutral and not show my disgust, “But I didn’t make those.”

“Wait,” Asmo's eyes went wide, “Don’t tell me this means…”

“Yep, you guessed it,” Solomon proudly beamed, “It means I did some of the cooking as well.”

“Hmph,” Mammon plopped down in a seat and stared at the french toast, “So this stuff is what Claudia cooked, huh? Well, I’m hungry enough that I guess I could tolerate eating some of it,” Mammon huffed as he picked up his plate and started to grab some slices. 

“Why not be honest and say you’re looking forward to trying it?” Luke asked with frustration as he sat beside Mammon. Everyone else moved to their seats and I found myself in between Asmo and Solomon. “Ugh, this is why I can’t stand demons.” It took only a few seconds for Beel to fill up his plate and eat several slices. 

“Mm, this is great,” he grunted as he licked his lips. “I’m ready for seconds.”

“Wait, you’ve already started eating?!” Luke gasped in shock and I laughed as I poured myself some tea. 

“You actually liked it though?” I asked Beel genuinely, “I don’t cook very often so I am always worried about how it tastes when I do.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Beel nodded his head eagerly. “You did a good job, Claudia.” He beamed. 

“Interesting,” Simeon hummed as he took his first bite. “This really does look and taste quite different from the food of the Devildom and the Celestial Realm, and it seems to be made using different ingredients as well.” 

“That’s right,” I nodded as I prepared my plate, “I would describe our food as more… normal.” 

“So, you made the tacos, right Solomon?” Asmo carefully asked the sorcerer as he glanced over at the tray with the tacos suspiciously. I could tell that Asmo knew what I knew: Solomon’s food was to die for. Literally. It could probably kill someone. 

“So everything else is safe- I mean,” Asmo sweetly smiled, “Made by Claudia and Barbatos.

“Correct,” Barbatos nodded, “Claudia focused on the french toast while I prepared the sides.” 

“Claudia,” Levi eagerly chatted, “I saw this exact dish in  _ I Was Eating Avocado Salmon Sushi at a Hundred-Yen Revolving Sushi Restaurant When I Suddenly I Was Thrown Back in Time a Thousand Years to the Heian Era, Where I Was Selected to Be a Personal Chef for a Princess, and Was Later Chosen as a Possible Candidate to Be Her Husband… Now Someone Please Tell Me How That’s Even Possible,  _ which is totally one of my favorite anime!”  __

“I-” I wanted to say something but stopped myself and shook my head. “I’m glad, Levi… I’m glad…” 

“H-Huh,” I looked over to see a smiling Mammon. “So this french toast? I-I guess it’s all right…”

“Oh, it’s only all right, huh?” Asmo rolled his eyes, “Although you are only eating french toast and are not trying anything else?”

“Mm, this is really nice, especially the texture,” Beel had given up on using silverware and had gone to using his hands. He picked up Luke’s plate in his frenzy and started to gnaw on it. 

“That’s not food, Beel!” Luke gasped and tried to wrestle his plate away from the hungry demon, “You’re eating my plate!”

“Ooh, have you tried the fruit yet?” Asmo turned towards me and when I shook my mouth, he picked up a strawberry from his plate and held it out for me. “Go on, open your mouth and say aaaah,” he sang.

“Aaaah,” I opened my mouth and let him place it in my mouth. He giggled as he watched me eat. 

“You’re so cute. So, what do you think? Isn’t the fruit sooo fresh?” He asked with interest as he placed the side of his cheek up against his hand and fluttered his lashes at me. 

“HEY, ASMO!” Mammon barked before I even had the chance to respond, “What’s the big idea gettin’ all cutesy and flirty like that when you’re sitting RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, huh?! Do it when I’m not around!” He growled as he crossed his arms, “Actually, don’t do it when I’m NOT around, either! In fact, don’t do it at all… ever!” 

“Oh, what I would do to not have to listen to Mammon…” Satan wistfully sighed. He looked over at Asmo and raised an eyebrow. “Asmo, aren’t you going to try the tacos that Solomon made?” Asmo and I shot each other a panicked look. We both knew, 

“That?” Asmo nervously laughed as his eyes traveled across the table over to the sparkling stack of breakfast tacos. “Well,” he hesitated, “Solomon’s the one who made that, after all…”

“Nobody likes a picky eater,” Beel snapped. 

“Okay then,” Amso sighed, “You go ahead and eat all you like, Beel. Be my guest.”

“Yeah,” Solomon joyfully bobbed his head, “No need to hold back. Eat as much as you like!”

“Wait, Beel-” I attempted to stop him but before I could he had already shoved a taco into his mouth and was munching away. It took less than a second for Beel’s contempt face to twist into a horrified one. He froze like a statue, unable to process what he had just consumed. 

“That’s odd,” Simeon tilted his head in curiosity, “Beelzebub froze. The food must be so good that he’s in shock right now.”

“No, really-”

“Solomon’s cooking looks so good that I decided to upload pictures of it to social media,” Levi explained from the other end of the table as he waved his phone around. He set it down and rubbed his hands together in anticipation. “Mmm, I can’t wait to try this! It’s going to be SO epic!”He picked up the taco sitting on his plate and brought it close to his mouth. “All right, taco! Your end is nigh! Prepare to be consumed!” 

“Levi, noooooooo…..!” My voice faded as I watched the otaku take a bite and freeze in anguish. 

“Okay, I guess I’ll try some too!” Luke ignorantly cheered before turning pale as soon as he took a bite from the taco in his hands. I watched helplessly as everyone except Asmo and I met their doom via Solomon’s cooking. Mammon choked and quickly spit out the disgusting remains of a bite onto his plate. 

“...Wh-What’s goin’ on?!” Mammon gasped as he scrambled out of his chair. “It’s AWFUL, like needles are pokin’ at my tongue and I’m choking… and my stomach’s on fire!” He dramatically pointed at the taco on his plate. “Th-This ain’t food, this is somethin’ else altogether!” 

“If I had to describe it, I’d guess it’s more like… a weapon of mass destruction?” Satan commented as he cautiously poked his taco as if it was a ticking time bomb about to go off. 

“I wanted to warn everyone but I didn’t know how,” I sighed. Luke made a gagging noise and I looked over to see that he was a murky shade of green. 

“Um… Luke, are you okay?” Asmo asked as he scooted his chair away from the angel that was about to throw up at any second. Beel was still frozen, lagging like a computer. 

“Even Beel is sitting there paralyzed, and he can eat anything,” Satan brought up.

“The food looks so good, though,” Asmo smiled with a casual shrug, “It’s hard to believe that it can taste so bad, huh?”

“It’s not once you watched what Solomon does while he’s cooking,” I muttered, “I think it’s just as indescribable as the taste.” 

“Now, now,” Solomon waved away our comments with his hand, “Don’t compliment me too much, okay? You’re going to embarrass me.” With a happy hum, and to my horror, Solomon picked up one of his monstrous creations and started to munch on it as if he did not just put a trainwreck of a taco into his mouth. “Mmm, the flavor isn’t bad. Looks like my hard work paid off.”

Much to our horror, we discovered that Solomon was immune to his deadly lack of skill in the kitchen, and breakfast that morning ended up being the most memorable part of our trip for all of the worst possible reasons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	34. Chapter 34: Do Demons Celebrate the Great and Powerful Mammon’s Birthday?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mammon's birthday quickly arrives and Claudia does everything in her power to make it the demon's best birthday ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before anyone asks, I do not have a favorite demon brother and his name is DEFINITELY not Mammon. Oh, who am I kidding? Mammon is my favorite and I loved writing this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it!

Returning to the House of Lamination from the Demon Lord’s Castle felt like returning home from a vacation. After going through three intensely exhausting days that ended in the major victory that was achieving a pact with Asmo, all I wanted to do was go a couple of days without any chaos. I knew that it was hopeless to hope for such a thing considering that I was in the Devildom, but I didn’t want any disturbances to halt my next plan.

Sure, I could have been focusing on trying to secure a pact with either Lucifer or Satan but I knew that such a feat would take considerably more time and planning. Instead, I spent all of the time I had between returning to the retreat to Thursday to plan for someone’s very special day. Mammon’s birthday was an event that I was refusing to forget and downplay. Sure, he could be a downright turd, but as my loyal friend who I cared about deeply, I wanted to make his upcoming birthday the best one yet. 

“Uh, girly,” Aminata tilted her head and frowned at me with concern as she stood in the Devhora’s break room doorway. “You know that you don’t work on Wednesdays, yeah? What are you doing here?” 

“Oh, Aminata,” I looked up from the messy notes and pamphlets that were laid out before me at the funky bubble gum painted table that I was sitting at and greeted my boss, “Good evening. Um,” I scratched my head, unsure what to say. “Let’s just say that I really love my job?” I let out a forced laugh and the witch skipped over and peeked over my shoulder.

“This is for Mammon’s birthday tomorrow, isn’t it?” She asked with a hum. 

“Yes,” I sighed in defeat and slump over the table. “I have the whole evening planned but it still feels like I’m missing something!” 

“I’m sure I can help ya,” Aminata suggested as she slipped into a spot next to mine, “But I still don’t get why you are here?”

“Mammon spends 90% of his time at home in my room when I’m around,” I explained, “… Hell, he even does that when I’m not at the House of Lamentation,” I laughed. “He doesn’t even knock and just barges in most of the time so I can’t do any of my planning at home because otherwise the surprise will be spoiled. So, I’ve had to spend less time with him and have to hide out in places I don’t think he will find me.” 

“And I bet that is just driving your poor Mammy crazy,” Aminata grinned as she picked up one of the pamphlets and started to flip through it. 

“I mean, I know we have a pact together, but why would being away with him be such a big deal? I know he doesn’t like it when I’m with Asmo alone but…” My voice trailed over as I watched Aminata give me a deadpan look. “What?” She just shook her head with a sigh before picking up a new pamphlet.

“Anywho, speaking of someone who is crazy about you,” Aminata changed the subject, “Asmo will not shut up about you!” 

“Is that a good or a bad thing?” I questioned as I dragged a notebook in front of me closer to me. It contained my planned schedule and I studied it with furrowed brows and a cold expression. “We’re certainly closer, which I never expected considering how I butt heads with him,” I continued, “but I haven’t gotten the chance to spend much time with him either. I haven’t spent much time with any of the brothers this week,” I admitted. 

“Oof, I bet they really don’t like that,” Aminata waved the pamphlet in her hand at me; it was a flashy one about a casino resort that was located in the busy nightlife area of the Devildom. “Oooh, are you going to take him gambling?” The witch asked in a teasing tone. 

“Oh, that? No way,” I laughed and snatched the pamphlet from her. “I was honestly thinking about it but after five seconds I thought it was best that I not make Mammon’s birthday celebration materialistic. The last thing I want is Mammon blowing a ridiculous amount of cash on gambling and getting into even more debt. I don’t need another reason for Lucifer to hate me.”

“I doubt that Lucy hates you!” Aminata gasped in protest. “He just…” She paused. “Okay, you totally get in trouble- I mean, at least to his standards but he is so stuffy- and you are really close to his brothers so I’m sure he hates that- Yeah,” Aminata gave up, “He probably does hate you.” 

“Wow Aminata,” I sarcastically droned, “Thanks for stating the obvious. Anyway,” I tapped the notebook in front of me with the pen in my hand, “I decided on something less flashy. First, we’re going to do something fun, grab dinner, and then I’m taking him to a rental cabin where his party will be. I think he will obviously enjoy it but it’s so… impersonal. I need another way to show him that I care about him- as my friend,” I blurted hastily, “Of course...” 

“Mhm, sure,” She grinned and twirled her bubblegum hair with a finger in thought. “How about you just tell Mammy how much you care about him? His brothers are always pushing him down like it's their hobby or something so why don’t you raise his spirits up?” 

“Hm,” I hummed as I drag my pen across the schedule mindlessly, “Yeah, yeah. Oh!” I gasped and started to scribble something down. “I think I have THE perfect idea.” 

With the perfect plan in place after brainstorming all evening with Aminata, I was giddy with excitement for the next day. The next day was to go on normally at first. We would go to class as usual but by the end of the school day, my surprise would go into motion. I wanted to skip R.A.D. classes and take Mammon out on an all-day excursion but Lucifer was insistent that Mammon needed to go to as many classes as he could because he was failing three of them. Seeing no problem with Lucifer’s logic, as I too didn’t want Mammon to fail, I agreed to the prideful demon’s terms and scheduled everything around our studies. 

“Are you having a good day so far?” I innocently asked Mammon during lunch. We sat in our usual spot outside, perched on the courtyard. Once consisting of just Mammon, Beel, and I, our group had grown to Mammon, Beel, Asmo, Levi when he actually showed up for class (which today was one of those days), and I. On occasion, the other exchange students would join us for lunch when Luke wasn’t so damn stubborn about associating with demons and when Solomon pulled himself away from his magic to give himself a chance to eat. Simeon enjoyed our presence but floated around during lunch, not consistent with who he sat with. 

“I guess,” Mammon shrugged back, “It’s just-” The demon started to say before being interrupted by Asmo who squealed about something he saw on Devilgram. I could tell that Mammon was miffed because he hadn’t received any birthday wishes or surprises yet. This was purposeful. It wasn’t hard to convince Mammon’s brothers to act like it was a normal day and every time Mammon tried to tell them what day it was, they would either interrupt him or get distracted. It was a little hard to watch because I hated seeing Mammon being treated like trash but I wanted the surprise of his celebration later to be all the sweeter.

“Hey,” I whispered to Mammon while Asmo purposefully rambled on, now changing the subject to some body wash that was “to die for” according to him. Mammon perked up at the sound of my voice. “Don’t worry, your day’s going to get a lot better soon…” I gently placed my hand on top of his as I reassured him. “The great and powerful Mammon deserves the best, after all,” I winked and licked my lips with a smirk, “And I’ll give you the best.” Mammon became really startled by this and shot up like a rocket, causing all attention to be drawn to him.

“I’m goin’ go get a drink! Or something!” He blurted in both frustration and embarrassment. We watched the greedy demon storm off in silence before turning all towards each other.

“Told you that would get him all hot and bothered,” Asmo playfully giggled. 

“Oof,” I sighed and placed a hand on my heart, “That was so cringy. I think I’m going to die,” I groaned as my face heated up. 

“Ugh, only normies would fall for something like that,” Levi claimed as he awkwardly fidgeted in his spot on the ground. 

“You say that, but I think it would be a different story for you if Claudia was dressed up as, oh what’s that weird anime girl’s name again? Oh right,” Asmodeus clapped his hands together, “Ruri-chan, Ruri-chan!”

“First of all,” Levi held a finger up with a stern face, “Ruri-chan is not weird, she is an honorable demon who has sacrificed a lot just to follow her passions, and she-”

“So you’re not going to deny that what Asmo said would work?” Beel asked with a stuffed mouth; he had just taken a giant bite out of a sandwich that was in his hands. 

“T-That was g-going to be my second point!” The otaku claimed.

“ANYWAY, let’s try to get back on track,” I spoke up, trying to drive our conversation in the right direction. “The only reason I acted all… er, weird, was so that we could have a moment to ourselves so that we could talk about my plan. Asmo, you have all the decorations prepped, right?”

“Right!” He cheered. 

“Good, so you and Aminata are on decoration duty,” I mumbled trying to walk through the steps in my head, “Okay, so Beel,” I turned towards him, “You’ll be able to distract Mammon during his last class so that Levi can place his first surprise, right?” 

“Right,” Beel grunted with a nod and flashed his older brother a thumbs up. 

“Good, good,” I smiled in relief and nervously picked at my fingers. “I just want everything to go perfect,” I explained as I stood up, “Operation Birthday Success is a go!” 

During his last class period, a little note attached to a yellow balloon just happened to be waiting for Mammon in his usual spot. On the note I had written a little message to guide the demon in the right direction:

_ Adventures lurk around every corner but few are willing enough to seek them out. Do you have the strength to start your own adventurer? If the answer is yes, then go outside through the main entrance after school to see a surprise. I’ll be waiting.  _

I didn’t have to wait long for Mammon because as soon as the final bell of the day chimed throughout the academy, he spirited outside to see me waiting in front of his parked car wearing a yellow sundress that matched his glimmering golden eyes. In my hands, I held a giant puzzle piece that said “Adventurous” on it in a large black font. 

“Claudia?” Mammon softly called out as he froze in front of me with wide eyes.

“Hey, you didn’t think that I would let one of my favorite demon’s birthday end up boring and lame, did you?” I laughed as I walked up and held out the puzzle piece to him. “Here.” 

“Man,” he shook his head and disbelief as he took it from me. “What’s this supposed to be?” 

“It’s a hidden message,” I said in hushed excitement, “But it’s only clear once you put all the pieces together, and,” I tapped on the piece with one of my long fingers, “It’s what you are, adventurous. You’re willing to try anything, even if you sometimes say otherwise, and I admire you for that, Mammon. I know I have been caught up in a lot of chaos ever since I’ve arrived in the Devildom a month ago,” I sighed as I crossed my arms, “But I really am not built for it,” I laughed. 

“Yeah, and you always end up dragging me into that chaos right along with ya,” Mammon placed a hand on his hip as he tried to scowl at me but he was too happy to pretend to be mad. 

“And I’m about to drag you into some more shenanigans but I’m hoping it’s the good kind,” I smiled as I moved over to the driver’s side of Mammon’s flashy car and opened the door. A balloon popped its yellow head out of the door. “Now, let’s go on your adventure.” 

Attracted to the balloon waiting for Mammon was a note like the first, which said:

_ Persistence is a driving force that can lead to glorious gain. Will you persist in this game? If the answer is yes, then go to 312 Raven Claw Rd.  _

After reading the note Mammon looked up from the note with a raised eyebrow. 

“I don’t know what game ya are playin’ but if it’s all for my birthday then I’m game,” he nodded, willing to continue. “So I guess I gotta go to this address then?” He mumbled to himself as he got inside his car and I followed him, ready to see what would come next. 

“Roller skating?” Mammon asked as I brightly smiled, holding out a pair of flashy black and yellow skates and a second puzzle piece with “Persistent” on it. We were standing in the entrance of the flashy roller skating joint that the address had led Mammon to.

“Yeah, that’s right, roller skating,” I declared as he took what was in my hands. “We don’t get to do a lot together with just the two of us and I thought this would be something fun to try together and you’re persistent,” I nodded towards the second puzzle piece, “So I know that if you aren’t good at roller skating at first, that you’ll keep trying and trying until you get it right.” 

“Hehe, yeah, I guess you could say that I am!” Mammon proudly beamed and I hooked my arm with his as we walked inside. Once inside, I paid for our passes and rented shoes for myself. We settled at a table that overlooked the rink which had a few skaters already on it. Energetic music boomed from the speakers surrounding the rink and multi-colored lights danced along across the rink’s surface, making the rink seem more like a dance floor than anything else. 

“I can’t believe you bought me my own roller skates,” Mammon said while we were putting them on. 

“Well,” I explained as I tightened my laces, “I thought that you would end up enjoying roller skating and want to come back every once and awhile and do it again. I was surprised when Asmo told me that you’ve never been roller skating before.” I carefully pushed up once I was done putting my skates on. 

“I’ve been meaning to, but it didn’t seem very fun all by myself. None of my brothers were interested in tryin’ it out,” Mammon replied as he stood up a little too fast and stumbled. I stabilized him and smiled up at him. 

“Then I’m glad that I’m in the Devildom so that I can be your skating buddy,” I chipped in before we started to roll along the colorful carpet that lined the skating complex. Once we got out to the rink, I explained the basics of moving and stopping. Mammon fell on his face a few times due to impatience but it didn’t take him long to master the basics and was soon skating circles around the rink. 

“Look, look Claudia!” Mammon would yell to get my attention like a little kid so that I could watch him do some kind of trick that he deemed impressive. At one point, the music turned to a more groovy sound and Mammon zoomed past me and snatched my hand so that we could skate together. “Come on, Claudia,” He turned to look at me with a grin, “Let’s dance!” 

“How am I supposed to dance in skates?” I asked over the music and he shrugged, starting to move to the beat.

“We’ll figure it out!” He yelled back and took both of my hands in his. Above us, the singer’s lyrics poured out of the speakers, and at that moment, I felt like it was just the two of us, forever trapped in that moment dancing together. Once the song ended, I realized that if we didn’t leave soon that we would be late for our dinner reservations so we left the rink. I managed to convince Mammon to return my rental skates while I snuck back out to Mammon’s car so that I could retrieve the next note that would lead us to our next destination. 

“What’s this? Another one?” Mammon asked once we met up again and eagerly grabbed it so that we could read it. On it, I had written:

_ Genuinity is a rarity that few have the pleasure of seeing. A genuine experience is waiting for you up next. If you want to continue, all you have to do is take my hand. _

When he looked up from the card, I was holding my hand out to him. He grabbed it with a flushed face and mumbled about how I’ve been getting more “touchy-feely lately” and how it’s all “that stupid Asmo’ fault. I led him down two blocks and stopped once we were standing in front of our destination which was a shiny modern restaurant with rooftop seating. I let go of Mammon’s hand and jumped out in front of him with grander.

“Tonight, you will be experiencing genuine human realm food- well,” I cleared my throat, “A type of it, at least. This restaurant just opened up and I got really excited when I heard about it,” I explained as I turned to look at the imposing building that had red lights dotting the sides. “This is a rodízio, an all you can eat style of restaurant in Brazil. This one is a Brazillian steakhouse and I really want you to experience it because I love restaurants like these!” 

“Brazillian steakhouse, huh…? Better not tell Beel about this because he might get jealous,” Mammon teased as we walked inside. 

After I confirmed our reservation, Mammon and I were led to a table on the rooftop by a waiter. The waiter went on to explain that the cards on our table were meant to signify what we wanted. The green side told servers that we were open to being served while the red side of the card showed that we did not want to be approached. Flipping our cards to green, we were promptly greeted with servers carrying different meat skewers with various types of meats and cuts. 

“How'd you find out about this restaurant?” Mammon asked later into our meal when we were sharing a dish of fried bananas, which were commonly served at rodízios to act as a “taste breaker.”

“Can you believe that Barbatos recommended it to me?” I asked as I scooped up a slice of the banana in front of me with my fork. “I got excited because there was a restaurant like this by where I used to live and my family and I would go to it on special occasions.” 

“You’ve really put a lot of work into my birthday,” Mammon whispered. 

“Of course I have,” I shrugged, not finding it a big deal. “We’ve become such good friends in such a short period of time and I just wanted to show you that- oh,” I perked up at a server that approached us holding the check and a puzzle piece. 

“Check for the couple,” he bowed his head as he set it down on the table and handed the puzzle piece to Mammon which said “Genuine” on it. 

“Thank you,” I whispered to the waiter as he walked past me. 

_ It was so worth it to convince that waiter to do that with a tip,  _ I thought as I softly smiled at Mammon.

“So, I know that you don’t always say what you really mean,” I explained carefully, “But you always wear your heart on your sleeve and I really appreciate that about you, um…” I lightly chuckled. “A reason that I appreciate it is because I am a-” My D.D.D. started ringing and my voice trailed off. 

“You might want to answer that,” Mammon offered. 

“Yeah, sorry, sorry,” I fumbled with my phone and answered it without looking at the contact. “Hello?” I tried to put on my best polite voice. I was frustrated that I was disturbed in my speech but I was also upset at myself. If I hadn’t been stopped, I would have confessed to Mammon that I was autistic. As an autistic girl, I often struggled to read emotions as a child and had to learn about people’s body language and tone and what that meant. All of my recognition of expression was learned behavior and I sometimes wondered if this fact was one of the reasons that I could act because I had studied expression and body language for so long. 

Sure, there was nothing WRONG with me being autistic but I hated how alien I was sometimes treated after informing others around me that I was autistic. I masked my “quirkiness” extremely well but the stigma around autism still surrounded me like a suffocating smog. Even if I wasn’t directly involved, I couldn’t stand neurotypical people talking about autism like they were some kind of an expert when they couldn’t possibly understand what people on the autistic spectrum were even like. I didn’t want the demon brothers to think any different of me if they found out that wasn’t “normal” and suffered from mental illnesses. It was already hard enough to prove that I was stronger than the little girl they all perceived me as and I did not want to have to prove that I was also strong despite my mental state. 

“Claudia?” Satan spoke up from the other line. “The others tried to text you but couldn’t reach you so they told me to call you to let you know that we are all set up on our end.”

“Oh gosh, tell the others that I’m sorry that I didn’t reply to my texts,” I replied, feeling guilty that I went MIA. “I haven’t seen them since I’ve been pretty distracted this evening,” I explained as I smiled over at Mammon. 

“Aye, who are ya talking to?” Mammon asked, clearly annoyed that someone else was taking up time with me. 

“It’s Satan,” I answered, “Don’t worry, I’ll hang up soon.”

“I can see that someone’s been rather greedy with your time,” Satan hummed, hearing the Avatar of Greed impatience. “I’ll go ahead and let the others know that you’ll be here soon. You will be, right?”

“Correct,” I nodded. 

“Hm,” he sighed, “Then I’ll go- oh, and Claudia?”

“Yes, Satan?” I raised an eyebrow, curious about what he could have to say.

“You spoil Mammon too much.” He hung up. 

Mammon received his next card when we stepped outside of the steakhouse and returned to his car.

“Sorry that this one doesn’t have a balloon to it,” I joked as I pulled out the simple note from my purse and handed it to him, “But I doubted that I could fit a balloon in my purse.” On the card I had written: 

_ Love is a part of everyone’s life and takes different shapes. The final location of your adventure holds all the different types of love in your life in a very unexpected place.  _

“I’m kind of lost with what you mean,” Mammon admitted as he scratched his head. 

“Don’t worry,” I hummed as I typed in an address into my GPS app on my D.D.D. and set it up for Mammon. “All you have to do is trust me.” The GPS led us outside of the nightlife hub of the Devildom and instead of flashy neon buildings, we were surrounded by tall pines.

“We aren’t lost or something, are we?” Mammon asked as he turned down a worn dirt road. 

“Nope, you’re heading in the right direction,” I informed him as I scanned along the gaps of the pines to see our destination. 

“Woah, what the-” Mammon gasped as we pulled up to a log cabin. He looked at me wildly with wide eyes. “Can you read minds?” 

“What?” I laughed with amusement as Mammon parked and jumped out of his car. I carefully glanced at the other cars parked in the distance, hidden by the darkness of the night sky of the Devildom before stepping out as well. I moved to the trunk of the car and opened it up to pull out the bags that I had secretly packed for us to stay overnight. 

“We’re even staying the night?!” He yelped. 

“Yeah, I thought it would be a nice change compared to the House of Lamentation,” I casually responded as I picked up the bags and started to walk towards the cabin. 

“You’re one crazy human,” Mammon mumbled as he followed me. We walked up a set of stairs that lead to the entrance of the cabin which had a wrap-around porch and was right along the water of the lake that connected to the Demon Lord’s castle. “I’ve always thought that if I could be left alone with you, that I would want to take you to a cabin out in the middle of nowhere so we didn’t have to worry about no one or nothing,” Mammon explained, “B-but don’t get the wrong idea or something, it’s not as if I would try to be weird or um, something!” 

“Mhm,” I hoped that my blush couldn’t be seen under the faint moonlight. “Hey, Mammon, could you lift up the rug and grab the key under it,” I nodded towards the rug by our feet. My hands were full with our bags so I had no way of grabbing it. “The renter told me that it unlocks the front door,” I elaborated as he snatched the key and unlocked the door. Once Mammon unlocked it, he opened it and I stepped through without realizing that the inside flooring was more raised than the patio so I ended up stumbling. 

“Woah,” Mammon stopped my fall as he placed his hands on my waist as I dropped all of the bags. “You alright?” 

“Yeah, I just didn’t notice that step up, sorry,” I whispered, feeling very intimate. The door of the cabin slowly closed behind us, leaving only the light of the moon which shone through the windows to act as a light source. Mammon’s hands lingered on my waist as I looked up at him with awe. 

“Aye, human?” 

“Hey,” I whispered playfully, “I thought you switched over to calling me Claudia a long time ago.” 

“Yeah, I know,” he whispered back as one of his hands reached up to run a hand through my hair, “But I feel so weird around you. You drive me damn crazy… I think that I might lo-” 

“SURPRISE!” A loud cheer went out as we were suddenly blinded by the lights of the cabin. In front of us, everyone who I had invited to help out with Mammon’s birthday was standing in front of us and sprayed us with confetti as they aimed party poppers at us. Aminata and Asmo had done a fantastic job at decorating the humble cabin by hanging white streams along the walls in delicate patterns and by littering yellow and gold balloons along the cabin in different formations. 

“Oh, did we interrupt something?” Luke innocently asked as he froze in the group. 

“Oh no, nothing at all,” I loudly exclaimed with a wide smile as I ruffled Luke’s hair with my hand. I heard Aminata hum “Mhm, sure,” and I wanted to shoot a death glare at her but stopped myself. “Thank you all so much for being here for Mammon’s birthday.” 

“Why of course, I love any excuse to be a part of the festivities!” Lord Diavolo laughed and walked up to Mammon and patted him a little too hard on the back. 

“We wouldn’t want to miss Mammon’s birthday for the world, isn’t that right Luke?” Simeon asked his fellow angel and Luke huffed as he crossed his arms. 

“I guess,” he muttered, “But I’m mostly just here because Claudia wanted to be here.”

“Oh come on Fido!” Mammon gleefully laughed, “Just admit that you like me!” Luke tried to protest but Mammon didn’t pay him any mind as Lucifer and his other brothers stepped up to him. 

“I’m,” Lucifer cleared his throat, “Supposed to give you this,” he held out a puzzle piece to Mammon which had “Loveable” written on it. 

“Why are you giving me this?” Mammon softly asked as he took the piece from the eldest. 

“Claudia asked me-” I sternly shot him a look and he carefully rearranged his words, “Well, that’s not right,” Lucifer admitted. “I gave you that puzzle piece because as much as a headache you are…” 

“A stupid liar,” Levi chipped in.

“A moron,” Satan said.

“An annoying pest that tries to keep me away from Claudia-” Asmo whined before Mammon shut them up. 

“Okay, okay, I get it!” Mammon yelled as he threw his hands up in aggravation. 

“We still love you and we couldn’t imagine a world without you,” Beel explained genuinely. 

“Gosh,” Mammon blushed as he crossed his arms. “Did you guys go soft or something? Why are you so cheesy?” I laughed. 

“They can’t help it, you are just so lovable,” I teased the demon. 

“Now that everyone has arrived,” Barbatos summoned our attention with his voice, “Shall we have some cake?” He walked over to the open concept kitchen and brought a white icing cake with “Happy Birthday Mammon!” on it to the oak table nearby. We all crowded around it as Mammon sat up at the head of the table. “I know that you are obviously not five years old,” the butler explained as he placed candles in the cake, “But I feared that if we got enough candles to accurately depict your age then the Devildom would look like the 6th circle of hell.” 

“Well Barbs,” Aminata retorted, “It would look like that for all of our birthdays except for Girly here,” she winked at me. After Barbatos placed the candles and lit them, we all started to sing Happy Birthday to Mammon. The cake was delicious, as expected from any craftsmanship of Barbatos, and I was lucky to grab Mammon and me a slice before Beel consumed it all in a hunger rampage. After cake, we sat by the fireplace in the living room and watched Mammon eagerly tear into his presents. The party died down a few hours later, leaving just Mammon and me alone. Luke was mortified to learn that I would be sleeping in a cabin alone with Mammon but I assured him that we would be in separate rooms and that Mammon would never do me any harm. Meanwhile, Aminata and Asmo wanted me to “get me some,” and begged me to give them details if anything occurred. I bluntly said no and told them to stop being so horny. Solomon slipped me a piece of paper that had a crudely drawn magic circle on it that he had embedded magic onto and told me that it would protect me “just in case” something happened. 

“What the fuck?” I heard Mammon struggle from the living room while I cleaned up all the trash in the kitchen. 

“What’s wrong?” I asked as I peeked my head over the kitchen bar to see what was up. 

“It’s missing somethin’!” Mammon declared as he gestured to his lap where the oversized puzzle pieces were sitting. He had put them together but they were all corner pieces, one was missing. 

“Oh, I almost forgot,” I mumbled as I hurried over to my overnight bag that was sitting nearby and pulled out the final piece. I held it behind my bag as I walked up to the puzzling demon. “That’s because,” I said, “I haven’t given you the last piece yet .” I pulled it from out behind me and handed it to Mammon as I sat down beside him. 

“Loyalty,” He said, as he held it up and read it.

“I wanted to wait until everyone left to give you the final piece because I think your loyalty is both your best trait and your most personal trait,” I said as I scooted to face Mammon more. “I feel like you will always be there for me and I never have to worry that you won’t be,” I reached over and placed my smaller hands over Mammon’s and guided them to place the puzzle piece in its spot. I then flipped the puzzle over and on the puzzle was the message:

“Happy Birthday Mammon!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I totally took inspiration for the whole log cabin thing from Mammon's birthday pop quiz where he talks about how he just wants to stay in a log cabin with MC and just enjoy their presence. It was so precious! Anyway, thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	35. Chapter 35: Do Demons go to the Club?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being in a pact with Asmodeus causes Claudia to get both the good and ugly side of his personal life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so bad at writing summaries guys, I am so sorry, oof.

It didn’t take me long to realize that being in a pact with Asmo was much different than any of my other pacts. At first, I assumed that Asmo would form a pact with me, quickly grow bored of me, and then ignore me in order to pursue his other fancies. However, it seemed that the more time I spent with Asmo, the more he adored me. 

“And this,” I remember saying one time while I was assisting a customer at Devhora, “Is the best concealer for sensitive and dry skin.” I held up a sample of said product for the customer I was helping. “As someone who also has sensitive skin, I understand how horrible it is to apply makeup that causes your face to burn. Not only that,” I continued to explain as I set the sample down and tried to look for the best match for the client’s skin tone, “But it comes in a wide variety of skin to-” I stopped as I was suddenly met with a surprise hug from behind. 

_ What the-?  _ I wanted to ask but before I could, I quickly recognized the strawberry scent that came from the culprit. 

“Surprise!” Asmo cheered as his fluffy hair tickled my cheek, “I came to pay you a visit!” 

“Asmo, I um-” I blushed as I glanced over at the confused customer that I was helping. Thankfully, Nickels seemed to pop out of nowhere to assist me. 

“Sorry about that ma’am,” He smoothly purred as he stepped in front of me and Asmo, “I’ll go ahead and assist you in the stead of Miss. Robinson,” He turned his head to smirk at me, “It seems another customer has monopolized her. Now, let’s find the perfect shade for you…” He directed the demoness customer away from us and before I could scold Asmo for interrupting my time with a customer, a flash of a camera went off.

“Aw, what a cute photo!” Aminata giggled as she looked down at her D.D.D. 

“Oh, let me see! I need to make sure my hair is perfect!” Asmo gasped as he quickly let go of me and slipped over to Aminata’s side. 

“And just why did you take a photo of us?” I sighed as I approached my boss. “You’re going to make it harder for me to scold Asmo if you distract him with a photo.” 

“Aw,” Asmo smiled as Aminata handed him her phone, “Claudia’s flustered face is sooo precious!”

“You see girly,” Aminata rested her elbow on Asmo’s shoulder as he gushed over the photo, “I’ve decided to get hip with the times and make a Devilgram page for this store so I need as many intriguing photos as I can possibly get.”

“And how will a photo of Asmo hugging me gain you customers?” I dryly asked. 

“Aminata wants to use you as the Devhora mascot,” Nickels explained as he walked over to our group. “Aminata,” he turned towards her, “Daisy needs your help at the register, an error is popping up.”

“Of course she does,” Aminata rolled her eyes. “I don’t even know why I hired that succubus when she is too ditzy to do anything on her own.” 

“You hired her because you thought she was hot… boss,” Nickels tried to inform her without snickering. 

“Oh yeah,” Aminata shrugged, “Well, our male customers do like her,” she sighed as she dragged herself over to the other side of the store.

“So before anything else happens and I never get the chance to ask,” I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow as I spoke, “Just why does Aminata want me to be the Devhora mascot?” 

“Well, why shouldn’t you be the mascot?” Asmo asked as he held out the photo of the two of us out for me to see. I would have thought it was cute too if it wasn’t for the fact that it happened while I was trying to help a customer out. “You’re one of the human exchange students, which is big news by itself,” Asmo explained, “But you’re also young and cute. No one wants someone outdated and ugly representing their brand.” 

“I was going to word that a little differently, but Asmodeus is correct,” Nickels nodded.

“Am I really that big of a deal?” I asked the pair. “I mean, I understand Aminata but outside of Devhora I can’t be that exciting to everyone. Half of the time I feel more like someone’s future meal than a celebrity.” 

“Someone would have to be stupid to try and hurt you!” Asmo gasped as he stepped to my side to wrap an arm around me. “You do, after all, have pacts with one of the four strongest demons in the Devildom.” 

“The kid should still be careful though,” Nickels hummed, “There are other ways that the demons here could hurt Claudia.” I wanted to ask what Nickels meant, but considering the chaos of the busy day at Devhora, it was just my luck that Aminata called him over for his assistance. Now alone with Asmo, all he could do was blab on about how after work he was going to drive me home and take up my whole evening. I told him that I had school work and studying to do, so we compromised: we would spend our evening together by studying together. 

“You want to take up all of my time,” I said as I wrapped my jacket tightly around myself as Asmo and I exited Devhora, “But you do realize that there are three other demons back home who are just as needy as you, right?” I asked with a teasing smile. I had just clocked out of my job after working for several hours. Although the Devildom sky was always a dark void filled with stars, it was clear that night was approaching by the decrease of rush hour traffic along the streets outside of Devhora and the lack of people wandering around the shopping center it was located in. 

“Well, if they have a problem with it then they can just join our study session!” Asmo declared as he hooked arms with me. “But imagine,” he laughed, “Beel, Levi, and Mammon studying? Beel would eat all of the flashcards and Mammon could only pay attention for a minute.” 

“And Levi?” 

“Well, he would probably just say weird stuff about anime the whole time… I don’t know,” Asmo admitted and I laughed. 

Located a few steps away was a D.D.D. store that resided next to Devhora. I normally wouldn't have paid it much mind but I felt my stomach drop as I watched an unfortunately familiar face from the store’s glass windows move from the cash register with their bags to the door. 

“Um, Asmo-” I whispered.

“Oh, you know what, I know what Levi would do!” He exclaimed, suddenly thinking of a reason as to why the Avatar of Envy would be such a bad study partner. “Levi would totally go on and on about-”

“You!” Someone darkly hissed.

“Hm, I wasn’t going to say that, but that would be a nice change,” Asmo fluffed his hair with a self-assertive air. 

“Um,” I tugged on Asmo’s shirt, “That wasn’t me speaking, and that certainly wasn’t what she,” I pointed at who just stepped out of the D.D.D. store, “Meant.” 

“She has a name and that name is Eisheth, human,” Asmo’s latest bitter ex snapped. Carrying several shopping bags, the demoness stood in front of us decked out in an all-black and hip attire that was far too thin for the cold wind that came with the Devildom fall evenings. 

“Oh, my gosh, Eisheth!” Asmo gasped far too cheerfully. I groaned and shook my head, knowing that this interaction was going to be far from good. 

_ The last time either one of us saw Eisheth,  _ I thought as I cautiously studied the pissed off looking Eisheth,  _ was at the retreat ball. She’s been MIA since then. If only I could have never seen her again...  _

“Oh don’t even,” Eisheth stopped her ex with a raised hand. “Don’t you dare even try to act like we are friends on any level or that nothing happened between us. You made me embarrass myself at Lord Diavolo’s palace,” she hissed as she cast her gaze down at the cement ground. “I thought it would be all anyone would be talking about, but no…” She narrowed her eyes as her hateful gaze came down on me. She started to slowly walk towards me and I felt panic rise in my chest. “All anyone could talk about was how some puny little girl managed to win the powerful Asmodeus over with some magic trick.” I forced myself to hold my ground as my grip on Asmo’s arm tightened subconsciously. 

“I wanted to be civil and caught up but I guess you won’t let us, huh?” Asmo asked with a calm voice as he stepped in front of me to block Eisheth from getting any closer. “That’s a shame, but I’m not surprised. You’ve never been good at handling your emotions.”

“And you’ve never been good at keeping it in your pants!” Eisheth barked back. I couldn’t help but lightly giggle at that comment. I viewed Eisheth as someone with a nasty attitude, but I agreed that Asmo had done her wrong by lying about the status of their relationship. I understood what it felt like to be betrayed by someone you thought loved you. 

“Hey, it’s not that funny,” Asmo fumed at me with a pouty expression before turning back to Eisteth. “Maybe I did something wrong,” he sighed, “But could we not yell at each other tonight? It’s going to ruin the wonderful evening I plan on spending with Claudia.”

“I can’t believe it,” Eisheth shook her head and placed her hand sassily on her hips, “You’re new toy is some gullible human. What does she have that I don’t? I doubt she’s good in bed,” she snarled, “The brat would only be able to handle a few inches of-”

“Woah, hold up!” I pushed past Asmo to get to Eisheth. “I am NOT sleeping with anyone here! We’re friends.”

“I don’t sleep with everyone, Eisheth,” Asmo clarified as he patted my head, “I respect ‘this human’ more than I ever cared about you. Come on Claudia,” Asmo smiled down at me as he pulled his car keys out from his pocket, “Let’s stop listening to this nasty woman and go home.” I followed Asmo to his cute car parked nearby, my gaze refusing to leave Eisteth as she stared us down. 

“I just don’t get it,” she said quietly before becoming angrier, “I just don’t get it! Asmo, you son of a bitch, I WILL RUIN YOUR LIFE!” I gasped as she lunged at Asmo's car just as we both got inside. I quickly locked the car doors and watched in horror as Eisheth pounded on Asmo’s side window. Through the window, we could still make out Eisheth’s words, even if they were muffled. “I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!” She repeated like a broken record. “I will take all that you care about away from you,” she hissed as her hands stopped beating on the window and started sliding down. Eisheth’s shoulders started to shake as she got more emotional. “If it wasn’t for this human you would still love me!” She sobbed as Asmo started to pull out of the parking lot and book it. Away from Eisheth’s screams, we were left in silence. All I could hear was my pounding heart racing and my panic thoughts consuming my head. 

“Eisheth always was one for drama,” Asmo hummed in light disappointment. “It seems she can’t just let go of me.”

“Asmo,” I whimpered, “That’s not the problem here. Eisheth may have been irrational, but she might actually do something really bad to you… or me.” I turned to look out at the Devildom nightlife with a hand on my chest, trying to calm my breathing. 

“I’m sure it will all blow off soon, though,” Asmo said, trying to downplay the situation. “All of my lovers eventually get over me, ah, but it’s hard. Who can blame them? I am charming and perfect.” 

“You can’t just dismiss her like that,” I stressed, “Remember when we ran into Helene at the Demon Lord’s Castle? She could only do so much as a portrait, imagine what a pissed off demoness could do without anything holding her back?”

“... You seem really worried,” Asmo finally said, quietly. 

“I’m scared Asmo, I’m really scared,” I admitted and hugged myself tightly, trying not to cry. 

“Oh no, no, no, don’t get upset I’m sorry!” Asmo gasped as he reached a hand on and rubbed my shoulder. He could only do so much since he was driving. He tried his best to keep his eyes on the road and not on me while he drove. “Claudia, Claudia,” he sang my name softly. 

“What?” I gloomily asked. 

“I’ll take care of you and make sure nothing bad happens to you or me, okay?” 

“You’re not just saying that, are you?” I asked, refusing to accept Asmo's claim easily. “You lied to Esiteth just to make her happy so you could do the same to me.” 

“I don’t get in the habit of lying like stupid Mammon whenever he gets caught stealing,” Asmo sighed, “It was a one time blunder. Eisheth wouldn’t accept what I said unless I said what she wanted to hear. So I told her what she wanted to hear. I should have been more open about what type of relationship I wanted, but there’s not anything I can do about it now.” 

“You can apologize,” I stated.

“But that-” He huffed as he noticed that we had arrived at the House of Lamination. “I’ll think about it, okay?” Asmo winked at me as he parked the car and we got out. He skipped over to my side and comforted me as he entered the loaming house. 

“I wondered when you two were going to return,” Asmo and I were greeted by Lucifer checking the time on his D.D.D. when we stepped inside the House of Lamination. “I withheld having dinner so that the two of you could join. I was about to allow the others to eat, thinking that you were having an early birthday celebration,” Lucifer explained as his ruby eyes met mine. Though he didn’t say anything menacing, a shiver rolled down my back at Lucifer’s words. He tended to have that effect on me. From his piercing gaze to his luscious voice- Lucifer was SCARY and I didn’t LIKE him. I told myself that, anyway. 

“Huh? Claudia,” Asmo looked down at me, “What is Lucifer talking about?” Asmo was clearly confused and I instantly realized that I made a big mistake. 

_ I haven’t told any of the brothers except Lucifer that my birthday is two days away on the 23rd… Oops.  _

“What?!?” Mammon shrieked from his spot at the dining room table. Surrounded by the brothers eating dinner, I finally awkwardly confessed that my birthday was fastly approaching. 

“I understand that you are shocked by this news, but I would appreciate it if you didn’t scream into my ear, Mammon,” Satan snapped from his spot next to Mammon. “I must admit, I am a little surprised that Claudia’s birthday is so soon, but there’s no need to freak out about it.” 

“But we have all the reason in the world to freak out about it, Satan!” Asmo exclaimed as he waved his fork around. “There’s so little time to prepare for a celebration! 18 is an important year for humans!” 

“I’ll be considered an adult,” I said in a hushed and joking tone as I did jazz hands. 

“I am surprised that none of you were aware of Claudia’s birthday,” Lucifer hummed with a self-satisfied smirk. “It seems that I was the only one that knew.” 

“I don’t get it,” Levi mumbled as he crossed his arms and sunk into his seat, “Lucifer got to know about Claudia’s birthday before me, that’s so unfair. I guess nobody really likes me.” 

“Levi, I like you perfectly fine as well as everyone else,” I put my hands up to calm the outrage. “Lucifer only knows about my birthday because he asked on one of the first days that I arrived at the Devildom, that’s all.” 

“I understand,” Beel nodded as he finished clearing off his third plate of the night. “I bet you didn’t really know how to bring it up any other time.” 

“That’s right, I didn’t,” I smiled at Beel, grateful that he understood me. 

“So what are you going to do to celebrate?” He asked me as he smiled back. All of the brothers watched me, impatiently waiting for my response. 

“I… I don’t know,” I admitted. 

“Well, we have to do something!” Asmo declared. “I have the best idea!” He gasped and clapped his hands together. “Since Claudia will be turning into an adult, we should take her to The Fall!”

“Absolutely not,” Lucifer shot down Asmo’s idea fast. 

“What’s The Fall?” I asked as I tilted my head slightly. 

“The Fall is only the best club in the Devildom,” Asmo eagerly explained, ignoring the disapproving gaze that Lucifer was casting towards him. 

“I have VIP passes,” Satan casually brought up. 

“No way,” Asmo gasped and shot his brother a look of disbelief. “How do you have VIP passes when I go to The Fall way more than you?” 

“I won them at a charity ball,” Satan shrugged, “I was going to give them away but Claudia’s birthday could be the perfect opportunity to use them…” Satan looked at Lucifer with a pleased smirk as he watched his older brother grow more irritated.

“No, they would not be perfect for Claudia's birthday because we are not going to The Fall,” Lucifer sternly stated. 

“I’m not the most outgoing person, but what’s so bad about The Fall?” I asked Lucifer as I traced a finger around the cup sitting in front of me.

“The Fall is filled with the Devildom’s most undesirables and is the highlight of the Devildom’s supposed nightlife,” Lucifer explained in annoyance at the concept. “I don’t like the idea of you going out at night, it’s dangerous.” 

“Don’t be such an old man Lucifer!” Mammon encouraged the concept of going out. “Claudia’s got nothing to worry about cause I won’t let anyone do her any harm!” 

“We don’t HAVE to go to The Fall for my birthday, especially since Lucifer is so against it,” I tried to say. 

“I already told Aminata,” Asmo blabbed as he typed away on his phone, “She loves the idea.”

“Oh no, not Aminata too,” Lucifer groaned. 

“I’m telling her that she has to bring this cute co-worker of hers along too, what’s his name again?” Asmo looked up from his phone to ask me. 

“Nickels,” I answered in an amused tone. 

“Right, him!” 

“Who’s this Nickels?” Lucifer sternly asked with a raised brow. 

“Hey, he’s that dude that helped us out at the ball, isn’t he?” Mammon brought up. 

“That’s right,” Beel nodded at his brother. “He looked so different from when I met him for the first time after Claudia woke up from the… incident.” Beel was referring to the time Lucifer almost killed me. Ah, good times. 

“Am I the only one who doesn’t know who this guy is?” Lucifer questioned with a frown. 

“I have no idea who they are talking about either,” Satan admitted as he shook his head, “But I guess we’ll find out when we go to The Fall.”

“We are not going to-” Lucifer started to protest but I clasped my hands together and flashed him a pleading expression. 

“I’m not really a clubbing person but everyone seems really excited to go so can we?” I asked sweetly. “I’ll make sure to be extra careful while we’re there.” Everyone waited for Lucifer's response in anticipation and I assumed that he was just going to shoot down the idea again, no matter how precious and innocent I presented myself. However, I found myself startled when Lucifer sighed, rubbed his temples, and exclaimed:

“...Fine.” 

Chat Room: A gay, a bi, and a pan walk into a bar... 

Aminata:  _ EEEE I’m so excited!!!!! Ghsakfsfjl _

Nickels:  _ Clubs aren’t really my scene, but I’m happy that I can be there for Claudia’s birthday.  _

Aminata:  _ Well of cooooourse! I closed up shop and everything for this moment! You missed Mammy’s birthday so I can’t let u mess anything elseee _

Nickels:  _ Well, I had work and my boss is a real hardass… _

Aminata:  _ Oh ha ha ha _

Me:  _ I’m just shocked that Lucifer is willing to let us go clubbing on a Wednesday night… _

Aminata:  _ Maybe Lucy doesn't hate ya as much as we thought ;)  _

Me:  _ Nope, pretty sure he still hates me. Anyway, are you guys going to be on your way soon?  _

Nickels:  _ I’m about to leave to pick up Aminata and then I’ll swing by to get you and Asmodeus.  _

Aminata:  _ The rest of the boys are going in a separate car, rite?  _

Me:  _ Yeah, Satan only has four VIP passes and he’s giving them to us so we don’t have to wait in line for the club.  _

Aminata:  _ So we can get into some trouble while Lucy and the others are stuck waiting in line ehehe _

Me:  _ Aminata… _

Aminata:  _ jk! Anywhooo, I see Nickels’ car outside my apartment window so I’m going to go. See ya _

Me:  _ Yeah, see you soon.  _

I looked up from my phone and set it down on my bathroom counter. I was in my bathroom touching up the makeup that I had applied in the morning to make it more fitting for the evening. I studied my face carefully, making sure that there weren't any flaws in my application. I let out a muffled yawn and picked up the cup of green tea that I had sitting by my phone. 

_ Ah, sweet sweet caffeination,  _ I thought as I carefully sipped the hot liquid. When I set the cup down, I heard a little tapping come from my bedroom door. 

“Come in,” I yelled from my bathroom. I didn’t bother looking over to see who it was, I could tell by the knock that it either had to be Satan and Lucifer and Satan gave less of a damn about me than Lucifer so it had to be the latter. 

“Are you almost ready, Claudia?” A smooth voice asked me from the doorway. I was correct. 

“I just need to apply lipstick and then I'll be all good to go,” I answered as I fiddled through the collection of shades. My collection of makeup had grown ever since I started to work at Devhora and I found that most of my paycheck went towards buying any beauty supplies that caught my eye. I was so distracted that I didn’t notice that Lucifer had entered my bathroom until he reached his arm out from behind me and picked up a lipstick container. He let out a satisfied hum when he opened it to examine the dark reddish color. 

“I think this will do,” he stated as he handed it out to me and I took it from him. I carefully watched Lucifer from the mirror as I slowly applied the color onto my lips. He stood behind me, taking in my outfit that consisted of leather pants and a tight white blouse with a pattern on it. I didn’t like wearing short dresses as I often worried about them riding up on my long legs and rarely had a chance to. The dress code at my old school was unforgiving so I owned only a few dresses out of fear of getting dress coded. “You look presentable,” Lucifer stated far too firmly for me to consider his words a compliment. “You’ll want to be careful tonight,” he continued, his tone becoming warier, “You’d rather not have a demon get the wrong idea about you.” 

“I know,” I nodded as I set the lipstick container in my hand down before turning around to face Lucifer, “You’ve only said that around, hm, five hundred times.” Lucifer pinched his nose up in annoyance at my snarkiness. 

“You are my responsibility as an exchange student and I do not want to disappoint Lord Diavolo because of your foolish actions. You may not have the disposition to do rash things, but you often get in trouble,” Lucifer lectured me as we moved from my bathroom to my room where I picked up my purse that was laying on my bed. 

“I seem to only save all of my trouble for you, Lucifer,” I exclaimed in a sickly sweet tone before smiling up at him as I stopped walking right at my door. “I won’t ruin my birthday and your trust by doing something stupid. I promise… and,” I moved to open my door, “Thank you for letting us do this. I know it wasn’t easy for you to let me do this.” 

“If I had said no, I wouldn’t have heard the end of it from my brothers,” Lucifer muttered and I laughed as we stepped out in the hall. Once we entered the entrance hall of the mansion, we were met with all of the brothers waiting for us, dressed in casual attire. 

“Stupid normie club for a bunch of normies,” Levi mumbled next to me, his arms crossed uncomfortably. 

“I’m sorry that you’ll be stepping outside of your comfort zone,” I softly told the Avatar of Envy as I walked over to him. “You don’t have to come with us if you don’t want to. I know how overwhelming crowds and loud music can be.” 

_ I can’t even name all of the times I’ve been overstimulated at crowded gatherings or parties.  _

“N-No, I’m going!” Levi spat out, determined. “I’m sucking it up for you… it’s your big day after all,” he blushed as he covered his lower face with one of his hands. “You just got to binge-watch anime with me this weekend, deal?” 

“Deal,” I giggled. Suddenly, my attention was turned to the blare of repeated honking from a car outside. 

“That must be Aminata and Nickels!” Asmo sang as he hurried over to me and hooked arms with me. “Come on birthday girl, let’s party it up.” 

“You heard him,” Lucifer announced to his brothers, “Let’s load up in the other car so we can follow them there.” Chatting among ourselves, we walked outside to see a white luxury car parked at the estate’s gate. The windows were rolled down and we could see that Aminata had reached over to the driver’s side and was smashing her hand up against the horn as Nickels helplessly sat in the driver’s seat and watched. 

“Woooo!” Aminata cheered once she saw that we had stepped outside. “Happy 18th birthday to my favorite girl!!! Get over here girly and Asmo, let’s tear up the town!” 

“Have fun,” Beel smiled down at me as he patted my shoulder, “We’ll see you soon.” 

“Ya better not have any fun until the great Mammon gets in on all of the partyin’!” Mammon yelled as he followed his other brothers to the garage where their car was waiting. 

“I wouldn’t dare,” I yelled back as Asmo and I followed the stone path down towards the gate where Amianta and Nickels were waiting. Aminata did her damndest to get me as hyped as I could on our way to The Fall, doing everything from blasting upbeat music to chanting. 

“It’s your birthday, we’re gonna party, it’s your birthday!” Aminata and Asmo sang along to the 50 Cent song that they were blasting in Nickels poor car. Aminata gasped and stopped singing once she saw the bright neon club in the distance. 

“We’re here!” She squealed and reached a hand back so that she could shake one of my knees in excitement. Once Nickels rolled up to the club and found a parking spot in the tight parking lot, we jumped out just as Lucifer’s slick ride rolled up to a spot nearby and parked. Our party group reunited and we walked up to the stylish club where a long line of demons stood outside wearing flashy and revealing clothes. From outside I could already feel the vibrations of the music that was blaring inside. 

“Uhh, why the hell does the line gotta be so long for a Weekday evenin’?!” Mammon moaned in frustration. 

“Haha, imagine having to wait in line,” Aminata stuck her tongue out at the impatient demon as Asmo pulled out the four VIP passes that Satan had passed along to him. 

“We’ll see you guys inside!” I called out as Satan, Beel, Mammon, Levi, and Lucifer started to walk towards the end of the line. My merry band of trouble makers and I stepped up to the bouncer at the front door. The intimidating bouncer which stood at a height taller than Beel and ripped with muscles grunted as he examined the passes in Asmo’s hand before flashing us a smile with his dagger-like teeth and opening the door for us. 

“Welcome to The Fall.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	36. Chapter 36: Do Demons Know the Lord of Arrogance?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At The Fall, Claudia quickly becomes uncomfortable and is not sure what to do. When Aminata recommends dancing, Claudia hesitantly takes her up on the idea and ends up meeting a curious stranger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, I'd just like to say that I am so sorry for not updating last week. My only excuse is that I ended up having a short spell of writer's block so oops. Anyway, I'm fine now so please enjoy this chapter.

The pulse of the club rushed through me as I stepped inside. My eyes involuntarily widened as my senses became overwhelmed. The interior of The Fall was dark with the occasional hot pink light that showed off the numerous bar fixtures or strippers that hung from poles, cages, and chairs. They wore sparkling lingerie that draped from their bodies in a sensual manner and perfectly highlighted the curves of their bodies. The dance floor, which was adorned by fading and flashing built-in lights. was packed with sweaty and gyrating bodies that were hypnotized by the music that the DJ in a high up booth was playing. 

“Oh yeah!” Aminata cheered over the suffocatingly loud music that was blasting from every nearby speaker. “This is it girly,” she yelled to me as she grabbed my arm and started to pull me along, “This is what Devildom nightlife is all about.”

“I wish it smelled better,” I admitted with a squished up face of disgust. The club sank of spilled vodka and marijuana. 

“You’ll get used to it after your third time here,” Asmo blabbed cheerfully, “Now,” he slid over to Nickels side with a seductive smile, “How about Nickels and I grab you girls some drinks while you two find us somewhere to sit, hm?” 

“Sure,” Aminata rolled her eyes, “Just don’t forget to actually come find us. I know how easily you get distracted here.” 

“You don’t have to worry about a thing-!” Asmo claimed before he gasped at someone he saw in the distance. “Oh my gosh, Aastaroth!” He squealed before disappearing into the crowd. We blankly stared at the direction that Asmo ran off to before we all faced each other again. Nickels was the first to speak. 

“I’ll find him and make sure we come back in at a reasonable time,” he chuckled as he slipped his hands into his pockets. “I’ll make sure to get you your favorite drink boss,” Nickels commented before he turned to walk off disappearing into the crowd, attempting to find the Avatar of Lust. 

“You’re the best Nickels!” Aminata called out before turning back to me. “I know the best spot to sit, come on!” Aminata ended up leading me to a collection of circular crescent booths that acted as their own isolated hub. Aminata slipped into one that would be big enough for our entire party if we were willing to get all close and comfy and act like we liked each other. “Ahhh!” She threw her arms up with a stretch and I silently moved to sit next to her. The lounge area faced the dance floor where we had the view of club-goers partying it up. 

“I never thought I would go to a place like this,” I quietly admitted, “I’m… not sure what I am supposed to do.” 

“Enjoy yourself and have fun, duh!” Aminata grinned as she playfully elbowed my arm. “It’s your birthday, go wild… Well, you aren’t really a wild person girly, but you get what I mean. Go the Claudia version of wild!” 

“Wooo,” I let out a quiet cheer.

“You need to loosen up first, girl!” Aminata cheered. “You need to um,” She paused in concentration as she thought, “You need to go dance!” She decided. 

“Dance?” I whispered in horror as I looked at the packed dance floor. Some demons were drunkenly stumbling around while others were grinding up against each other in a sexual manner. 

“Come on, you like dancing, right? You would have to since you do it every week with the brothers, and anyway, I noticed that during the demon ball,” Aminata smugly stated, proud that she observed this, “You became a lot more relaxed and sociable after you danced.” 

“But that was a formal dance and I only danced with people I knew,” I explained, “This is different.” 

_ But I do like dancing,  _ I cautiously thought.  _ It’s my birthday, maybe I need to have some fun as Aminata said.  _

“The setting’s only different that’s all,” Aminata waved off my worries. “Girly,” she poked my cheek, “Wouldn’t you like to see how the brothers reacted to your dancing?” 

“W-What do you mean?” I dumbly asked. 

“Oh I don’t know,” she hummed in a sing-song voice, “I think anyone would get excited by seeing you shake your hips in those tight leather pants of yours under the club lightning, the sweat from your face rolling down your soft and bare neck-” 

“And, I’m only going dancing just so I can leave this conversation,” I declared as I started to scoot out of my seat. 

“Have fuuuuun, I’ll be here guarding our spot,” Aminata called out to me in a mocking tone as I hurried away. I could feel my chest tighten with anxiety as I got closer and closer to the crowded dance floor. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, attempting to calm myself. I blocked out everything except the beat of the music and started to sway my hips side to side along with it. 

_ Just think that there is no one else in this club but me. All that matters is me.  _ I told myself as I started to dance, doing what just felt right. A soft smile crept on my face as I started to relax and when I carefully opened my eyes, I realized that I had moved to the center of the dance floor. 

_ No one cares what I look like, no one is watching me,  _ I repeated in my head as I ran my hands down my body as I swayed side to side. I could slowly feel my body relax as my usually tensed shoulders loosened up and my teeth stopped grinding up against each other. I moved to step to the side but quickly lifted up my foot and looked down to see that I had stepped on someone’s tail. 

“Watch it,” the owner of the tail hissed as they flashed their glowing yellow eyes at me. 

“Oh my gosh, I am so sorry,” I profusely apologize as I backed away from the scaly demon. “I didn’t mean to-” I started to say, as my back made contact with something. I looked up in a panic to see an attractive guy with piercing eyes outlined in eyeliner and blonde hair looking down at me. 

“Woah,” I quickly backed away from him and turned around to face the stranger I bumped into. 

“Woah yourself,” he told me as he ran a hand through his light hair. 

“I’m so-” 

“You’re human,” the stranger said with wide eyes before smirking, “You’re that exchange student, aren’t you?” The curious stranger addressing me looked human unlike some club patrons who were in full-out demon form, but I knew he had to either be a demon or a wizard. My guard instantly went up. 

“Um, my answer depends on what you've heard about that exchange student,” I slowly said. I was forced to step closer to the edgy stranger so that I could get out of the way of a couple that passed us. He placed a hand on my shoulder, keeping me steady on the crowded dance floor. 

“I’ve heard only things that I like. I’m Belial,” he finally introduced himself and started dancing. “I got other names but I don’t really like them.” He traced his eyes up and down me, at least, I think he did. “Dance with me.”

“I’m Claudia,” I introduced myself; it only felt right to do so since he did. “You know, I don’t know if I really should be talking to you,” I admitted cautiously as I started to slowly move along to the song, “You might have seen me and went,” I cleared my throat and put on a cartoonishly villainous voice, “‘Oh ha hahaha! Look at that defenseless human! I’ll trick her and then devour her soul!’” 

“Might have,” he purred before laughing. “I’m just kidding, but you did catch my attention. I was watching you dance,” Belial’s honesty made me embarrassed. 

“That’s unfortunate, sorry,” I winched with a nervous laugh. 

“Don’t be sorry, I liked it.” 

“L-liked it?” 

“Yeah, liked it,” Belial confirmed, not backing down from his previous statement. “You seemed happy… Celebrating something today?” 

“In fact I am, today’s my birthday!” I yelled as the song got louder. It was getting to the point where I could hardly hear anything, not even my own thoughts, over the blasting music. Belial said something that I could not hear as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “What?” I deafly asked as he started to move me through the crowded dance floor. 

“I said,” Belial replied as we broke away from the crowd, “That if we want to talk we should go somewhere quieter.” 

“Um,” I felt uneasy about that idea. “Where are you taking me?” 

“My booth,” he replied smoothly as he pointed towards an isolated booth that was much like the one Aminata and I were previously sitting in but had a 70’s styled curtain made out of beads covering the entrance. Before I could come up with an excuse to leave, we slipped past the curtains and into the booth. “Ah, much better,” Belial sighed as he threw his head back and stared at the ceiling for several seconds. I couldn’t help but agree with him, despite my nervousness. The booth seemed to block out all other noise and the only indication that there was music was the vibration of the bass that linger on my fingertips. 

“Do you come here a lot?” I asked, not wanting our conversation to die out. 

“Yeah, that’s right, I do,” the demon hummed back as he pulled a silver case from his back pocket. He opened it up and pulled out a blunt. Several other premade blunts sat in the case as well, labeled with an expensive-looking design. He set down the case and with his free hand, snapped, causing a small flame to float above his hand. 

“Woah, it’s like a little orb,” I exclaimed softly as I watched him lead the flame to his blunt and light it. Once it was lit, he took a hit and let out a long exhale. 

“Want a hit?” Belial asked with a smirk as he held his blunt out.

“Oh… not thanks,” I replied with an involuntarily disgusted face. He laughed as he leaned back in the booth. 

“What are you, a prude or something?” He asked without much malice. 

“No, I just don’t like the smell of marijuana,” I explained, “I don’t really care about what other people do as long as it doesn’t harm someone. Anyway, I’ve never done drugs before. With my luck, I would just get paranoid and not have a good time.” I lightly laughed. 

_ Also,  _ I silently admitted,  _ I hate the idea of not being in control of myself or the situation around me.  _

“Ah,” Belial smirked at me, “I’m not surprised. You look really inexperienced, even for a human.” 

“Damn, that kind of hurt,” I smiled as I shook my head. “Well, you’re not wrong but being here in the Devildom has been something. I’ll end up having a more wild time in one year than I have had in my whole life.” 

“Well, you won’t have a good time if you just act like a good little student and go to RAD all the time,” Belial declared with a little bite, “Damn Diavolo’s little escape from reality…” 

“Woah, have something against RAD?” I asked, surprised that there was so much hate in Belial’s voice. 

“Me and half of the demons here,” Belial gestured around to nothingness. “Here in the Devildom, you’re either in RAD acting like some idealistic child, some rich old man who is still stuck in the old ways, or you’re like the others that ain’t nobody talks about, the demons who really know what’s up. Sure, let’s say our relationship with humans and angels are changing- you’re proof that it has a chance to- but that doesn’t mean that we demons have to act all cute and harmless just because reality isn’t as nice as Diavolo would want it to be. Claudia,” Belial seriously directed his gaze at me, “You can’t tell me that it's normal for a bunch of powerful and old demons to be prancing around in uniforms and act like high schoolers.” 

“I can’t really say that’s it’s normal, no,” I admitted, “But I haven’t really stopped to think about it too hard because I’m thankful that the whole act keeps me safe. The demons at RAD have to follow a strict set of rules on campus and those rules stop me from becoming someone’s next meal. I haven’t really seen anyone complain about being at RAD,” I carefully brought up, “I live with six of the students that attend and they never-” Belial interrupted me by sharply laughing before getting closer to me. 

“The Deadly Sins,” he shook his head, “Now they are just a bunch of losers who have been reduced to a herd of lapdogs on a student council, ha! Of all things...” Belial scowled before taking another hit of his blunt. After taking a hit, he gently set it down on the ashtray that sat in the middle of the table.

“Hey, now I think that’s going a little too far,” I could feel my stomach get upset with emotion. “Do you even know the demon brothers?” 

“Far more than I wish I did,” Belial sighed before giving me a weak smile, “Hey, I know I’m right, but I made you upset, didn’t I?” He asked as he placed a hand on my cheek. “Sorry about that.” 

“Um,” I scooted away from him slightly, “It’s no problem.” 

“What, don’t like being touched?” Belial moved closer to me, refusing to let me have some space. 

“Yes, I mean- I should go,” I stated with as much confidence as I could. I knew that if I didn’t leave now, that my night would take a really sour turn. “It was very nice to meet you Belial, but I came with a group of friends and I should get back to them.” 

“And your friends’ company is better than mine?” Belial quietly asked with emotion behind his voice that I could not pin down. “Claudia, I think we have a connection. Look, I won’t touch you again, I just want-” 

“Claudia?” “Aye, yo human?” I could hear familiar voices call out from me behind the curtain. 

“Look, my friends are looking for me Belial,” I pleaded, “I should go.” Before I could give him the chance to protest again, I hurried out of the booth. 

_ Finally!  _

However, before I could get far, I felt a hand wrap around my wrist and I was slammed up against the wall that divided Belial’s booth from the one next to it. 

“Before you leave,” Belial said in a hushed tone and I shivered in fear, “I want to remind you of the demons you are living with. They are nothing but empty husks of the men they once-” He didn’t get to finish because someone tackled him off me and to the hard floor. 

“Beel!” I gasped as I pushed myself off the wall. Beel had a rage in his eyes that I hadn’t seen since Mammon forced me to eat Beel’s pudding. He let out a demon growl and Belial could do nothing against his grasp, in fact, he didn’t even try. The demon just blankly stared back at the Avatar of Gluttony who looked like he wanted to kill him. 

“Claudia!” I turned to see Levi and Mammon running over to me. Lucifer was not far behind the pair, quickly on their heels. 

“Beelzebub, Leviathan, Mammon, and Lucifer,” Belial chuckled, not fazed but amused at the situation he was in. “Never did I see the day that you would all come rushing to help a human. Not that she's not worth it,” he admitted as he turned to look at me. I didn’t meet his gaze. 

“Belial,” Lucifer said darkly, “How unfortunate it is to see you again.” He looked to Beel to release his grip on Belial and Beel slowly stood up, not pulling his rageful gaze away from the smug demon. 

“What are you no good nobody doing here, huh Belial?!?” Mammon shouted as he wrapped his arms around one of mine. “Stay away from my human, ya hear?” I would have felt touched if it wasn’t for the fact that I was about to cry. My vision blurred and I quickly turned to face Mammon and Levi (who had also rushed to my side but was far too nervous to cling onto me like Mammon) and hugged them as I hid my face away from anyone’s view. 

“I don’t want anyone to see me cry,” I quietly whimpered as I felt both of them embrace me. 

“I don’t really like h-hugging and stuff but I’ll do it for you normie,” Levi whispered. His arms felt stiff and awkward around me but I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. 

“The great and powerful Mammon won’t let anyone see you cry, not on my watch!” Mammon declared a little too loudly and Levi muttered at his older scumbag brother to shut up. 

From behind me, I heard a powerful slam and the sound of cracking that reminded me of breaking sticks. I would later learn that this sound was Lucifer aggressively slamming Belial up against the nearest wall as soon as Beel let go of him, which probably broke a few bones, and threatening him with all his life was worth. 

“Come on,” Lucifer cleared his throat as soon as he finished hissing at Belial and dropped him on the ground unceremoniously. “Let’s find the others, we are leaving.” I slowly pulled away from Mammon and Levi and stared at the ground as we moved away from Belial, who made no attempt to follow us, and walked back to the table that Amianta had been guarding. Aminata was still where I left her, chatting away with a fruity drink with a crazy straw beside her. It had looked like Lucifer had ordered Satan to stay with the bubbly witch and she had taken full advantage of the situation. Satan looked defeated as he sat beside Amianta with his back facing her as she massaged his shoulders. 

“You know Satan, I think it’s such a shame that after all of these years, I still can’t think up a nickname for you!” 

“Don’t,” he warned her. 

“There’s Lucy, Mammy, Levy, Asmo, Beelie, and Belly- oops, I guess I shouldn’t mention him since he’s like the Dark Lord in your household- but theeeeen there’s Satan, the one without a nickname.” 

“That’s for the best,” Satan stated sternly.

“Mm, I guess so,” she pouted, “You really don’t seem like a nickname type of guy.” 

“How shocking.” 

“Hey now mister, if you don’t pull back on the sass then I’m going to stop giving you a massage, and yes I know you like it no matter how much you claim you don’t!” Aminata warned Satan before looking up to see that we were approaching her. 

“Hey, you guys found girly-!” She started to say excitedly before seeing my face. “Oh no,” the smile from Aminata’s face fell, “What happened?” 

“Belial happened,” Lucifer spat. 

“Yikes,” Aminata hissed as she and Satan slipped out of the booth. “My poor girl!” She rushed over to me and cupped my face in her hands. “Well, we gotta do something fast in order to save her birthday day. Girly, what do you wanna do?” 

“What I want?” I quietly repeated as I sniffled. “I… I want ice cream.” 

“That’s a good idea,” Beel eagerly nodded his head, “Ice cream always makes me feel better.” 

“Before we can leave we still gotta find Asmo and Nickels,” Mammon brought up. “Where are you two dumbbells, huh?” He called out. 

“There’s no need to go looking for us,” a drained Nickels spoke up from behind us and we turned to see the defeated demon dragging a needy Asmo who was hugging him. 

“Come on Nickels!” Asmo slurred out, “Let’s go do body shots off of some strippers!” 

Needless to say, Asmo did not end his evening by doing body shots off some strippers but instead ended it by sitting on the curb outside of  _ Danny’s Devildom’s Famous Ice Scream Shop  _ next to Aminata as Lucifer paced in front of the pair on the street, lecturing about how right he was about the dangers of the Devildom and how they never should have left me alone. Meanwhile, everyone else, including me, sat a few paces away eating ice cream. 

“How come ya aren’t also getting lectured Nickels?” Mammon asked before eating a spoonful of his vanilla frozen yogurt as we watched Lucifer chew the drunken pair out. 

“I think he respects me for putting up with your brother and it wasn’t my idea to go clubbing anyway,” Nickels chuckled and sipped on his strawberry smoothie. 

“I’m just surprised that he’s not lecturing me,” I quietly admitted as I scooped up a spoonful of the banana split that I was sharing with Levi. 

“He wouldn’t lecture you on your birthday,” Beel explained after downing his fourth ice cream cone, “And you didn’t do anything wrong. If Belial’s involved, then it’s something he did,” Beel frowned. 

“Do you guys know him?” I asked the brothers. “Even from my conversation with Belial, I could tell that he at least knew you all.” 

“Belial, who once had the title of the Lord of Arrogance was on Lord Diavolo’s royal court,” Levi seriously explained to me. “He was a commander in The Hell’s Navy so I dealt with him the most.” 

“Believe or not, but this shut-in of ours is the Grand Admiral of The Hell's Navy,” Mammon brought up as he pinched his brother’s cheek. 

“I don’t get why that is so surprising!” Levi huffed and pushed Mammon off of him. 

“Belial was one of the most vocal about the establishment of RAD,” Beel explained to me, “He thought that a school for demons to approve their skills and magic was the right direction for demonkind but quickly turned against the idea of RAD when it opened and he started to go as a student,” Beel stood up. “I’ll be back,” he claimed as his stomach growled, “I need some more ice cream…” He licked his lips as he started to walk back towards the ice cream parlor. 

“Why did Belial oppose RAD when he was the biggest advocate of it?” I asked the group of remaining brothers around me. “It just doesn’t make sense.” 

“RAD didn’t live up to his expectations,” Satan explained before licking the matcha green tea ice cream cone in his hand. “He claimed that RAD was just a power trip for Lord Diavolo and quickly dropped out. It’s been a couple of hundred years since we’ve come across him.” 

“Yeah, who would’ve thought that we would have bumped into the dirtbag as we did?” Mammon snorted. “Bet he said all sort of weird stuff to Claudia.” 

“No, I mean,” I paused to think about how I felt. “I don’t think Belial is a bad person, but I got scared when he pinned me down like he did.” 

_ It was too much, but it seemed like he wanted to warn me… or just insult the demon brothers some more,  _ I thought.  _ Whatever he wanted to say, I never got to fully hear it, but that might be for the best.  _

“I’m glad I noticed Claudia when I did,” Beel softly admitted as he approached us holding a colorful bowl with ice cream, “But I didn’t mean to tackle him like that, I don’t know what happened to me.” Beel sat down beside us and gave me a worried look, “I’m sorry if I scared you.” 

“I think I was more surprised than scared about what happened, thanks for being there for me Beel,” I gave Beel a reassuring smile and he let out a happy grunt as he dug into his ice cream. 

“Well, I think they get the point,” I heard Lucifer sigh and the sound of his heels clicking as he approached our group. “Claudia, I never got to ask, are you alright?” Lucifer asked me as he stopped in front of us, standing over us. 

“I feel a lot better now,” I replied as I gently set the banana split in my hands in Levi’s lap before standing up. “Thank you for standing up for me but I don’t know if you really had to hurt Belial,” I crossed my arms sternly. “Hell, I think I heard some of his bones break.” 

“Demons heal fast, he will be fine,” Lucifer brusquely said. “But… I do suppose that I overreacted to the situation at hand.” 

“At least he didn’t lecture us for five million hours!” Aminata cheered as she skipped over to me. 

“I feel my skin dry out more and more every time Lucifer lectures me,” Asmo whined behind her.  __

“That’s probably the alcohol’s fault,” Satan told his brother, “You’re dehydrated.” Asmo longfully turned towards  _ Danny’s Devildom’s Famous Ice Scream Shop  _ like it was an oasis in the middle of the desert. 

“You’re right,” Asmo sighed before turning towards me and grabbing my hand. “Come on Claudia, come help me pick out a soda flavor! I probably should not drink soda this late but today’s a special day!” 

“Okay, okay,” I let Asmo drag me along, “But only if you also order some water.” 

“Ugh, fine.” 

Once everyone had calmed down and had their orders in their hands, we all sat along the curb, side by side, and stared up at the beautiful night sky. 

“Wow,” I gasped, “The stars are so beautiful tonight.” I slowly fell back onto my back to stared up into the endless void of the Devildom night’s sky. “I miss the sun sometimes, but at least the Devildom still has the beauty of the night sky.” 

“Look, there’s Cygnus,” Beel pointed out as his hand led up in the direction we were supposed to look. “It looks like a swan and is supposed to be a symbol of love.” 

“That’s supposed to be a swan?” Aminata snorted. “It looks like a swan if I had to draw it, which spoilers, would look like a preschooler drew it.” 

I laughed so hard that my chest started to hurt but I soon realized that the pain wasn’t from laughing. The throbbing pain came from the realization that only a few blocks away, someone who couldn’t share these wonderful experiences with us was staring up at the same night sky and the same constellation alone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments, and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	37. Chapter 37: Do Demons Have Tea Time?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been weeks since her birthday and Claudia is hoping to get closer to Belphegor but is having little luck. She is, however, getting closer to the other demons around her, gaining the attention of Lord Diavolo and Satan for very two different reasons.

“Belphegor,” I called out in a hushed tone as I crept up the narrow staircase that led to the attic. It was a cold and twisted October night and my thin nightgown did nothing to protect me from the case of shivers that were overcoming me. 

“You’ve been showing up here a lot more lately,” the Avatar of Sloth yawned as he dragged himself over to the iron bars that kept him locked away from the rest of the world. “Do you have any updates about your progress?” He demanded more than he asked me. 

“No, not really,” I admitted as I slipped in front of the doorway and sat down in front of Belphegor. “Getting close to the rest of the brothers was easy compared to the idea of getting friendly with either Satan or Lucifer. I’m probably going to try Satan first but he’s just so hard to read as a person. Anyway,” I yawned myself, rather sleepy considering the time. “Can’t I see you just because I want to see you?” I smiled at Belphegor sweetly as I asked, not really expecting an answer. “I couldn’t imagine being locked up alone all the time. I think even the most introverted person would go insane. When I put myself in your shoes, I think that it would mean the world to me that someone would go-” 

“You don’t know me or understand me,” Belphegor coldly interrupted. 

“Okay,” I shrugged, trying not to get annoyed, “Let’s say I don’t. I can at least use common sense. Being isolated isn’t good for anyone.” 

“I’m not complaining,” Belphegor droned as he pressed her cheek against one of the cold bars, “But don’t expect me to be the best of company. I don’t plan on entertaining you just because you are bored.” 

“I’m not expecting you to do anything,” I hummed back. “I can just talk and you can decide to listen or not.” 

“Fine, whatever.” 

So, I did. I had been visiting Belphegor almost every single night after my birthday. I felt horrible that I was having so much fun with Belphegor’s brothers while he was stuck doing nothing but wait while I tried to find a way to free him. I didn’t tell him I felt bad about his situation explicitly because I knew he was well aware of my feelings. I had the suspicion that he was using my empathy for his own selfish gain, after all, he had originally lied to me about his situation when we first met, but that didn’t deter me. 

_ If I gain Satan’s loyalty, Lucifer might suck up his pride and stop treating me like a foolish and troublemaking child. Once that happens, I should be able to explain my true goal, finally,  _ I thought as I retreated down the attic stairs once I had spent a mostly one-sided evening with Belphegor.  _ I just need to find out what makes Satan tick.  _

“You’re inviting me to have tea?” I asked in surprise as Barbatos smiled down at me with a nod. It was the next day during school hours and I had run into Barbatos while sorting through a selection of crime books. Damn Nickels wouldn’t dare tell me the title of his first crime novel so he left me scrambling to find it. If one of my closest co-workers was an author, then by all that is good, I was going to read all of his books and support him whether the stubborn and humble fool wanted me to or not. 

“Of course,” Barbatos replied smoothly, “Lord Diavolo finds it a shame that he was not able to spend time with you on your birthday as he had duties to attend to so he wanted to make up for the inconvenience. He wants to spend some time with you, just the two of you.” I don’t know why, but I felt my cheeks heat up at the demon butler’s last uttered words. 

“Oh my,” I started to joke, “What will the Devildom tabloids say once they learn that the young exchange student went to spend alone time with the Lord?” 

“Nothing,” Barbatos said regardless if he knew I was joking or not, “Because discretion is my top priority for my lord after his safety. I pride myself in my ability to secure that Diavolo’s private life is protected.” 

_ Everyone deserves privacy _ , I silently stated,  _ but I wonder if Diavolo actually has something that needs to be hidden from the public eye?  _

“Do not feel pressured to join him,” Barbatos continued, “But if you agree, I can arrange for the two of you to ride back to the castle this evening after your busy day of studies.” 

“Oh, I don’t feel pressured at all,” I smiled at Barbatos before looking down at the books laid out in front of me. I started to place the ones I already shifted through back in their spot on the bookshelf beside me, careful to make sure that I did not disturb the tidy arrangement of the shelves. “I’d love to join Diavolo for tea this evening. Should I go to the student council office once school gets out?” 

“Yes, that will do,” Barbatos slightly bowed to me. “I shall let the lord know that you accept his invitation. He will be quite pleased.” After giving me a reserved smile, he swiftly turned around and started to walk away. “Goodbye, Claudia.” 

“I’ll see you later, Barbatos,” I paused my task and called out to the butler, trying to keep the volume of my voice low due to the setting we were in. 

Once Barbatos disappeared from my sight, I resumed sifting through books and jumped when I heard someone speak up from behind me. 

“Why, look who’s become Miss. Popular. If you aren’t careful, you might replace Lucifer as Dialovo’s right hand,” I turned around and stood up to see that Satan was behind me with eyes that shined with intrigue. “Actually, go ahead and do that. I would love to see the utterly pissed off look on Lucifer’s face the day when that happens.” 

“Hey, Satan,” I awkwardly greeted the Avatar of Wrath, trying to ignore the edge in his voice. “I doubt that I could ever replace Lucifer,” I said, knowing that we both knew that to be true, “I mean, I don’t think I could rock the leather gloves and fur coat like Lucifer does. My intimidation level would be nonexistent.” 

“Maybe, yet you still manage to frustrate Lucifer to no end and that takes an impressive level of skill,” Satan hummed and his gaze moved down to the books by my feet. He gently bent down and picked up one of them to study. 

“Human world crime books,” he noted and moved to scan the titles of the other surrounding books. “Were you missing the literacy from your world?” 

“I guess I do now that you mention it,” I admitted as he handed me the book in his hands, “I’m a big reader but honestly, I was trying to track down a specific series by a writer. I can’t haven’t been able to find any of their titles...” 

“I’m not surprised,” Satan sighed, “This library is the largest in the Devildom yet it has a disappointingly small amount of texts from the human realm. Who's the author? Crime and mystery novels are my favorite genres, so I am very knowledgeable on the topic.” 

“Well,” I slipped back to the ground and started to put up the few books that I had left, “Their pen name is Nickels.” 

“Nickels,” Satan’s eyes widened before he went silent. 

“Um, is something wrong?” I asked uneasily, unnerved by his silence. 

“I’m just surprised you know of their work,” He muttered before he flashed me a serious expression. “I love,” Satan started to get excited, “Love the  _ Death Chronicle  _ series by Nickels. Their writing is breathtaking and it just sucks me in. The character development of the detective is so raw and real that-” Satan cleared his throat. “My point is, I have all of the released editions of the series.”

“Seriously?” I also got excited. “Satan, I need to see this collection sometime.” 

_ I can just imagine Nickels’ chuckle when I tell him that the Avatar of Wrath is a serious fan of his work. I need to get my hands on a book so I can read it and see what Satan’s excitement is all about.  _

“Hm,” He fiddled with his uniform bowtie, “I don’t tend to let many borrow from my collection, let alone see it.” 

“Oh, I understand,” I felt a little disappointed but tried not to show it. “I don’t like people borrowing my things either.” 

“I haven’t said no yet,” Satan mused and I perked up a little, “But I don’t know what to think of you,” he slightly narrowed his eyes. “What makes you tick? What are your motivations here?” 

“What are my motivations?” I asked, confused. Before I could get an answer, the bell rang, dismissing students from their class. 

“Looks like our conversation will have to be cut short,” He stated and up towards the ceiling as if there was a bell to actually look at to see ringing. “Will you be back from the castle before dinner?” 

“I plan to be.” 

“Good,” Satan turned around and started to walk away unceremoniously. “I have questions for you.” I felt my stomach knot up, not understanding what Satan wanted and fearing the worst. “Wait,” he paused but didn’t turn back to me. “Why else is the name Nickels familiar? Claudia, do you-” 

“Man, I’m not sure,” I dramatically shrugged my shoulders and scrambled to find my briefcase and D.D.D. that I had placed somewhere during my library visit. “Anyway Satan, I better blast,” I gathered up my belongings in my hands, “Byeee.” I dashed off leaving a confused and suspicious Satan alone with his thoughts. 

When the final bell that dismissed everyone for the day rang, I waited a few beats for the halls to clear of the boisterous and inpatient demons that crowded them before stepping out of the classroom I had occupied. I said a farewell to my professor and started my way towards the student council room. I let out a light sigh, feeling at peace in the long and empty stretching hallway. The silence lulled me into a sense of security so I was startled when I almost slammed into Lucifer when I opened the door to the student council room. 

“Oh!” I gasped, slightly jumping. 

“Claudia,” Lucifer looked a little surprised himself. Not only that, but the usually composed demon looked frazzled and disheveled. A few of his uniform shirt buttons were unbuttoned or buttoned in the wrong spot and his hair appeared windswept. 

“Are-” I started to say but was stopped by Lucifer loudly clearing his throat and rushing past me. 

“Enjoy your evening with Diavolo,” he called out in a rush as he walked, “And remember how to behave around someone of his title and standing.” 

“Uh, okay…” I muttered as I watched Lucifer leave. “Well,” I widened my eyes for a second before letting out a sigh and pushing the door open, “That was weird.” 

Once inside the large student council office, I turned to the left and walked until I paused in front of Diavolo’s office door. I hesitantly knocked on the oak door and called out to the lord.

“Come in!” I heard Lord Diavolo cheerfully call out from the other side. Now with his permission, I stepped inside of Diavolo’s office with a polite smile. “Claudia!” Lord Diavolo’s eyes seem to lit up to the sight of me. He was sitting at his desk, a report in one hand while the other one rested against his cheek. The Lord’s office, just like any other time I had visited it, was tidy and had very little personal touches to it. The only indication that this was Diavolo’s office was the nameplate sitting at the front of his desk and a photo sitting beside his computer that showed a beaming Diavolo, a grumpy Lucifer, and a stoic Barbatos at some suit and tie event. 

“Hello Lord Diavolo,” I greeted him and sat down in front of the desk in the leather chair placed in front of him. “Oh,” I curiously tilted my head at Diavolo’s chest as I noticed that his white tie was loose around his neck. “Um, Lord Diavolo,” I reached out my hands in a hesitant manner, “Your tie’s a little messed up.” 

“Oh,” he set down the paper in his hand as he crammed to check out his tie, “You’re right.” He let out a jolly laugh. “This is what I get for rushing in the mornings. Claudia, there’s not a mirror in here so could you please help me fix my tie?” 

“Ah,” I looked up into his golden eyes, “Of course.” I stood up and walked over to the demon. He didn’t stand, knowing that I would have a hard time reaching up to his neck if he stood. I couldn’t help but gulp as I silently adjusted and fixed Diavolo’s tie. I was close enough to smell his cologne which must have been just recently applied. It reminded me of the ball during the exchange student resort. He smelled the same as he did when we danced. 

“I’m excited that we are getting to spend some time together this evening,” Diavolo grinned while I focused all of my attention on his tie. “It will be a few minutes until Barbatos arrives but that’s okay because I have news for you that I think you will get really excited about.” 

“Okay there,” I hummed as I took a step back to examine my handiwork, “That’s much better. So,” I stayed standing by his side, eager to hear what the Lord had to say, “What’s the good news?” 

“Well, remember the last time you were in my office?” Diavolo asked me as he opened one of his desk drawers. “You mentioned that you applied to a university and were still waiting to see if you got accepted,” Diavolo slipped his hand into the drawer and pulled out an envelope. “I decided to do some digging for you since you don’t have contact with the human realm and,” he beamed as he held the envelope out to me, “Congratulations Claudia!” 

“Oh!” I gasped as I snatched the envelope and clutched it to my chest. “I... I knew that I would be accepted because of my class rank from my previous school but not knowing for certain was driving me insane,” I blabbed as I started to open the envelope. “I know that I don’t have any contact with my parents, but I hope they know and are proud of me…” I scanned the letter once I tore it from its envelope. I smiled down at the words and felt a bubbliness form inside me.

“Don’t worry about your parents,” Lord Diavolo assured me, “I wouldn’t be helping my cause if I didn’t make sure that your parents were alright and knew about your situation.” 

“Just how much do they know?” I snorted, “It’s hard to swallow the idea that demons exist and have a magical school where their daughter is now attending.”

_ I would say that I was kidnapped, but I feel like I somehow agreed to all of this, even if I don’t remember so. Why do I get this feeling? Does it have something to do with the strange dreams that I keep having?  _

“Details have been omitted from their story,” Diavolo seriously replied as he rose from his chair, “It’s easier for all of us that way. Now, I haven’t told you all of the good news yet,” he became more chipper as he changed the subject. 

“Seriously?” I raised an eyebrow. “Well, now I just feel spoiled.” 

“I had the student council review the proposal for a theatre department to be added to RAD and they all read what you had to say about the idea,” Diavolo explained and I felt myself get jittery with eagerness. I had decided earlier on in my arrival to the Devildom that I wanted to be a part of something theatrical so I, and surprisingly Lucifer, pushed forward the idea to Diavolo, who as the student council president, would have the ultimate decision in the matter. “All of them liked the idea, but,” Diavolo laughed, “I think they just liked it because they knew that having a RAD theatre department would make you happy. It won’t be next year until I can hire a theatre teacher for classes,” Diavolo continued and looked down at his D.D.D. which buzzed beside him on his desk, “But you can start out by running a club. Well,” he looked up from his phone, “It looks like Barbatos is waiting outside for us so how about we go join him?” 

“Of course, I wouldn’t want to keep him waiting,” I exclaimed, overjoyed about how my day was going. I spent the entire time on the way to Barbatos explaining to Diavolo all of the ambitious plans that I had for my newborn club. 

“If the club gains enough members by the end of my stay in the Devildom, then we could put on a school performance!” I gasped as we stepped outside to face the cold Devildom wind. I shivered and hugged my arms, my uniform jacket not enough to protect me. Parked in front of us on the street was a black limo with the royal family’s crest on it. I couldn’t see anything through the tinted windows except Barabatos who had the driver window rolled down and was talking to a woman who I couldn’t clearly make out from a distance.   
“That sounds wonderful!” Diavolo talked with the same energy I had. I was too busy trying to figure out what was going on in front of us that I didn’t notice Diavolo pause when he noticed me shivering. “You must be cold out here, Claudia,” he frowned and I looked up at him to see him slowly wrap one of his arms around me as we walked down the stairs that were at the front of RAD’s main building. “Here,” he smiled, satisfied, “Let me warm you up. I hardly notice the cold but it must be because I’m just used to it and I’m so much bigger than you!” He let out a laugh that made his shoulders shake and I smiled. 

“Oh,” I whispered; My cheeks were already starting to feel warm from the contact. “T-thank you.” 

“I can’t believe you think it’s okay that this little girl is walking around and charming everyone. Isn’t that suspicious?” I heard a familiar voice as we approached Barbato’s limo and I groaned. 

“Miss. Eisheth,” Barbatos sighed at the demoness who had him trapped in an integration, “Have you ever thought about the idea that you are merely paranoid?” 

_ I was having a good day and now Eisheth has decided to pop up so she can ruin it. _

“Have you thought of the idea that you are blind?” Eisheth snapped, “Next thing you know, the brat is going to be having tea with Lord Diavolo!” She huffed and threw her hands up in annoyance. 

“Hm,” Barbatos smugly smiled at the two of us as we made it close enough to be noticed, “Too late.” Eisheth whipped her head around and gawked at the sight of Diavolo with his arm wrapped around me. 

“I-er-” She shuttered before quickly bowing, “Lord Diavolo!”

“Eisheth,” Diavolo nodded and didn’t bother to remove his arm from me. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you. I believe the last time I saw you was at the ball I hosted. Mmm, what a shame about what happened between you and Asmodeus,” his voice had anything but shame in it. “You caused quite a scene.” Eisheth tensed up and wanted to say something catty but she held her tongue. 

“It was good to see you again, Lord Diavolo,” Eisheth said with a voice that trembled with emotion as she stared at me, her lips tightened into a snarl. “But I should go. I wouldn’t want to interrupt your evening with… her.” Eisheth shot Barbatos a look before silently storming away. I felt myself relax when Eisheth left my line of vision. 

“I’m sorry about that, my lord,” Barbatos apologized as if the interaction between him and Eisteth had been his fault. He got out of the driver’s side and moved to open a limo door for us. “Lady Eisheth spotted me when I pulled up and had to tell me about her conspiracy theories regarding Claudia here.” He seemed to be very amused by the whole concept. 

“Oh, I’m sure all of them are true,” Diavolo laughed as he removed his arm from me to step inside the limo. I followed in after him and sat across from him inside of the luxurious limo which could fit far more people than two. A built-in cooling case held ice, two glasses, and a bottle of champagne. I would have thought the gesture romantic if it wasn’t for the fact that I was traveling with the ruler of the Devildom. Diavolo was far too kind-hearted to think too deeply about such a connotation and I wouldn’t dare be foolish enough to think that I was worthy of the seduction of someone of his standing. 

“Of course, just like how I am the king of the fairy realm,” Barbatos said wryly. “My lord and lady,” he smiled at me, “The palace is a short drive away but if you need anything, just knock on the divider behind your head, Claudia.” I turned around in my seat to see the divider that he was talking around. 

“Okay, thank you!” I called out while Barbatos closed the limo door and moved around to the front of his ride. I adjusted my position to face Diavolo. “Lord Diavolo,” I hesitantly addressed him, “Do you know much about Eisheth? She’s never liked me but now she really hates me ever since I formed a pact with Asmo.” 

_ She has to have something redeeming about her. Eisheth can’t just be a bitch all of the time… right?  _

“Eisheth is a very old demon who used to be an angel like Lucifer and his brothers,” Diavolo explained to me as I felt the limo start up and move. “She used to be quite the gentle person,” Diavolo laughed, “But turning into a demoness changed her- No,” Diavolo frowned and shook his head, “The demons around her changed her.” 

“Gentle,” I wanted to snort, “That’s a little hard to believe. How was she changed?” 

“She’s never had the best relationship track record,” Diavolo admitted, “There’s a reason that others tend to cruelly call her the ‘woman of whorehood.’”

“Ouch,” I winced, “People seriously call her that? That’s cruel…” 

“She’s a succubus that’s notorious among her kind. I would tell you why but I don’t really know,” Diavolo sighed and crossed his arms. He looked like a pouty child in the position. “Barbatos and Lucifer don’t let me hear any good gossip.” I couldn’t help but laugh at the lord. 

“Sometimes,” I giggled, still laughing, “I feel like Barbatos is your dad and Lucifer is your mom.” 

“It does feel a little bit like that,” Diavolo nodded, not the slightest bit offended, “But I know that they just both care about me.” Diavolo's expression shifted to a melancholy one as he stared off into the distance. “I kind of understand how Eisheth must feel right now. I know that she had an on and off relationship with Asmodeus where she loved him while he didn’t. Unrequited love is painful.” I could feel the limo start to slow. 

“Lord Diavolo,” I said softly, feeling the hurt behind his voice. “What-” 

“We have arrived,” Barbatos solemnly informed us as he opened the limo door for us. 

“Ah,” I turned my attention away from the lord and to the butler. “Thank you for driving us here,” I gifted him a smile as I started to exit the limo. I turned around to see a very different Lord Diavolo. 

“We’re finally here!” Diavolo gasped with excitement. “Claudia,” he joined my side with sparkling eyes, “I can’t wait for you to try my favorite cookies. Hellfire mushroom rolled cigar cookies go perfectly with any type of tea,” he explained to me as I followed the demon pair inside the castle through a side entrance. For the next few hours, the mood among the two of us was pleasantly peaceful as Diavolo told me animated stories about his younger years and the demon brothers. I wanted to bring up what happened in the limo earlier, but I didn’t want to end our evening on a sour evening so, by the time I left the Demon Lord’s Castle, I had unanswered questions. 

I arrived back at the House of Lamination right around dinner. When I stepped into the house, I could already smell the aroma that was coming from the kitchen. 

_ I think Lucifer is cooking tonight,  _ I told myself as I kicked off my shoes at the doorway and made my way towards the dining room. 

“Aye, Claudia!” Mammon ran up to me as soon as entered the dining room. “Where have you been?!” He demanded. “It’s felt like you’ve been gone for five million years!” 

“Don’t be so dramatic,” Satan sighed and I noticed that he was sitting down at the table. “She was only away for a few hours. Anyway, I already told you all where Claudia was,” Satan nodded towards the rest of his brothers. Everyone was present except Lucifer. 

“Only…?” Levi hissed as he looked up from his D.D.D. “Satan, did you really say that she was ONLY away for three days? I’ll have you know that Claudia only has so many precious free days from work where she can watch anime with me! Do you know what it is like not being able to binge-watch a series just because you are waiting for them? Imagine if someone ripped off your arms and legs, chopped them up into tiny pieces, THEN,” He yelled, “Put the tiny pieces into a fine paste then kneaded the paste, shaped it into patties, and grilled them up! THAT’S how it feels! Yet. here you are telling me that it was only a few hours! I’d APPRECIATE it if you wouldn’t be so dismissive!”

“Um,” I scratched my head, “I guess this is where I say that I’m sorry that I didn’t get to watch anime with you, Levi?” Asmo laughed from where he was sitting. 

“You know Levi, you can just say that you missed her like a normal person! I know I did,” Asmo winked at me and held out his arms. I rolled my eyes and walked up to the needy demon to hug him. 

“Ugh,” Satan shook his head with a hand on his hip, “There aren’t words to describe how much I can’t stand you guys…”

“Patties…” Beel mumbled as he rubbed his stomach, “Now I want a cheeseburger…”

“Cheeseburger, huh,” Mammon hummed as he moved to sit down two spaces from Asmo so that I could sit in between them. 

“Stop it,” Satan looked disgusted, “Don’t even speak of human world food.” 

“Oh,” Asmo pointed at Satan with a casual smile, “Are you remembering our meal on the last day of the retreat we went to?” Asmo threw his head back with a laugh. “Sounds like the food you guys tried from Solomon was pretty horrible, huh?” 

“Dunno if disgusting is the right word,” Mammon brought it, “More like toxic.” I could see Beel shiver in horror. 

“Yeah, I mean,” Satan nodded towards Beel, “Just the thought of that morning makes Beel shiver in fright. BEEL, of all demons… that’s how bad it was.”

“Hey,” I whined, “I can’t stand it that Solomon’s disgusting tacos outshine my french toast. He ruined my chance to impress you guys.” 

“I ate your french toast and it was perfect,” Asmo assured me, “And if I look back on the trip, I’d have to say that it was a fruitful one- for ME, at least…” He smiled down at me. 

“Ugh,” Levi slumped in his spot, “Here we go again… Time to listen to Asmo go on and on about himself and all the wonderful things that happened to him again. So annoying,” he muttered. 

“But think about it though!” Asmo gasped, “This is me we’re talking about… ME!” He stressed. “I made a pact with a human who wasn’t Solomon!” He let out a dreamy sigh as he nuzzled his face up against me. “It’s been sooo long since I’ve felt this way,” I could feel myself getting embarrassed, “You know, that amazing feeling you get when you really connect with someone.” 

“Ugh,” Mammon looked like he wanted to throw up, “Stop makin’ it sound so creepy! And just so you know, if you got a connection with Claudia, then so do I! And,” he pointed at the two others that had a pact with me, “Levi and Beel, too!” 

“So don’t go gettin’ any ideas into that head of yours!” Levi mocked his older brother, “Claudia doesn’t belong to you!” 

“Hey!” Mammon growled, “Don’t impersonate me!”

“I do have a connection with all of you,” I admitted with a smile, “And I’m glad.” 

“Hm,” I glanced over at Satan to see that he was intently staring at me. “This reminds me of the questions that I have for you, Claudia. Why did you form a pact with my brothers?” 

“Oh, um…” I was surprised that Satan wanted to know but it made sense that he would be curious. “I want to earn Lucifer’s respect,” I declared.

“Man, you’re a weird one,” Mammon muttered as he stared at his hand that was laying next to mine in our seats. “I mean, I knew that, but still.”

“This is the one time where I actually have to agree with Mammon,” Satan narrowed his eyes and leaned forward, “I mean, you want Lucifer’s respect? What’s the point of that?”

“Good question,” we heard a deep voice agree and I felt my stomach drop. “What is the point of that?” I turned around in my seat to see that Lucifer had entered the dining room standing over Mammon and me, holding a tray. Mammon jumped a little beside me and placed his hand on his heart.

“D’aah! You SCARED me…” He sighed and quickly became hostile. “What’s the big idea sneakin’ up on us, huh?! I know you were preparing dinner but you didn’t have to be a ninja while you did it!”

“I didn’t sneak up on you,” Lucifer looked irritated as he spoke, “You’re just so dense that you didn’t notice me walk up. Anyway,” Lucifer turned his gaze to me and didn’t remove it as he moved to set the tray down on the table. “I believe that you’re probably telling the truth when you say you want to earn my respect. But,” he placed a gloved hand on the table as he leaned towards me, “What I want to know is why you want it. What are you trying to accomplish?” 

“...Good question,” I heard Satan mutter to himself, “What are you trying to accomplish? Hm,” he mischievously smirked as if something struck his fancy. “Well, I guess I’ll have to help Claudia too, won’t I?” 

“Wait, you’re going to have to explain that, Satan,” Levi’s told his brother as his eyes widened. “Are you saying that…?” 

“Yep!” Satan slammed his hands on the table as he stood up. “I’ll also be making a pact with Claudia.”

“What?” I heard myself gasp. This couldn’t be happening. 

_ Right?  _ I asked myself as I snuck a glance at Lucifer who looked like he was ready to murder. Nothing good was going to come out of this. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments, and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	38. Chapter 38: Do Demons Switch Things up?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Satan causes trouble at dinner and Lucifer demands that Satan leave the House of Lamination. With the brothers left divided, Claudia tries to step in but things only get worse when Satan becomes enraged that Claudia does not want to form a pact with him.

_ “I’ll also be making a pact with Claudia.” _

“You’re going to help Claudia? YOU?” Mammon gawked as he waved his hands. “Whoa, hold on…” He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Satan who seemed rather pleased with himself. “You wouldn’t do that unless ya had some other motive. So,” Mammon rose from his seat as he spoke, “Let’s get this out in the open… WHY is it that you wanna make a pact all of a sudden?” Everyone turned their heads towards Satan, anticipating his answer. 

“Why else?” Satan almost seemed giddy with glee. “If I make a pact with Claudia, it’ll make life hard for a certain someone,” he stressed the last word of his sentence as he sent a mischievous glance over at his oldest brother. 

“That’s enough, Satan,” Lucifer hissed in a deadly tone that made me gulp and slide down in my seat. The situation had quickly gotten tense and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. The only thing I wanted to do was run out of the room and skip dinner altogether. 

“Hey,” Satan innocently batted his eyelashes, “All I said is that it would make life hard on a ‘certain someone.’ I have to say,” Satan mockingly exclaimed as he placed a hand on his chair so that he could put his weight on it, shifting to a casual posture, “You seem awfully concerned about the pacts Claudia has been making, aren’t you Lucifer?”

“Hmm, Levi,” Asmo softly called out to the third born, “I feel like there’s something otaku and forum trolls like to say when things start getting heated like this. What was it again?” 

“Get out the popcorn!” Levi cheered with a laugh.

“Right, that’s it!” Asmo gasped. “Get out the popcorn!” I groaned and covered my face with my hands. I snuck a peek out from behind my hands to see a nervous Mammon mutter the same but with much less energy. 

“Do you really dislike me that much, Satan?” Lucifer asked with an even voice. 

“Let me turn that question around on you,” Satan snapped, getting more and more hostile as the conversation continued. “Do you honestly think I liked you? Really?”

“I see,” Lucifer sighed before giving his brother a harsh glare and without hesitation said, “All right then, if that’s the way it’s going to be, then get out of this house Satan. Now.” I tensed up and was positive that all of the colors drained from my face as soon as I heard those words uttered. 

“What, you want me to leave?” Satan smirked as he threw his hands up, “Wow! For once you’re actually giving me an order I’d be happy to follow. Okay,” he scowled as he shoved his chair at the table aggressively and started to walk away from the table, “Then I will. Gladly,” he hissed.

“Gentlemen, please,” I nervously spoke up, trying to defuse the situation, “Can’t you see that this is getting out of hand? I-” 

“If you ever hope to return to the human world then stay out of this,” Lucifer commanded me without even looking towards my direction. “This is a family matter between us brothers.” Mammon didn’t seem to like that now I was suddenly involved so he joined my side and placed a hand protectively on my shoulders. 

“Whoa, hey now,” he spoke up, “Just calm down, you tw-”

“Drop it, Mammon,” Lucifer snapped, set in his ways. “Let your hopelessly ungrateful brother do as he pleases.” 

“...Ungrateful?” Satan harshly whispered before his volume turned into a roar. “Did you call me ungrateful?!” A bitter laugh leaked from his tight lips. “Do you honestly think I owe you a debt of gratitude?! Fine, I will do as I please!” With that, Satan sharply turned on his heels and stormed out of the dining hall. We all watched in silence and without another word, Lucifer tightened up his forehead in annoyance, ran a hand through his thick hair, and turned around, leaving the room in the opposite direction Satan did. I exhaled the breath I did not know I was keeping in and slumped back down in my chair. Asmodeus sighed for a very different reason and I turned to see that he looked disappointed by the whole situation. 

“Aww, they’re gone,” He whined and laid his head on the table, “I thought we were gonna see fireworks! Ugh, boooriing!”

_ You can’t seriously call that boring, Asmo,  _ I thought, troubled by the tense events of the evening. 

“Okay,” I sighed and jumped up from my seat with as much gusto as I could summon after a few beats. “I think I’m going to skip out on dinner because I don’t think I can stomach anything right now. I slipped behind my chair and pushed it in. “I had too many sweets with Lord Diavolo today,” was my excuse. “How about you guys meet me in my room after dinner and we can have an uh, pact meeting?” I tilted my head in thought not liking how that sounded. The phrase didn’t roll off my tongue naturally. 

“So team Evil Genesis DEMONGELION is finally having a meeting?” Levi asked with wide eyes. 

“Aye!” Mammon snapped, “I thought we never decided on a team name! Ya can’t just claim that we have one now.” 

“Uh, color me confused…” Asmo blinked blankly as he lifted his head from the table. 

“They think we need a team name since we’re all in a pact with Claudia,” Beel explained as he reached across the table to pull the lid off of the tray that Lucifer had brought out, eagerly licking his lips. 

“Oh, well that was a horrid name,” Asmo simply stated. 

I left the brothers to their own devices and retreated back to my room. I spent the next 30 minutes working on school work and staring off into space when I started to feel especially troubled by the situation regarding Satan and Lucifer. After killing some time, I dragged myself over to my bed and flopped down on it just as I heard a knock. 

“Come in,” I called out loud enough to be heard, not bothering to get up. 

“Hey, hey!” Asmo sauntered in with a smile as his other brothers filled in from behind him. 

“Why’d you even bother knocking?” Mammon huffed as he plopped down next to me and looked around for the extra phone charger that he kept hidden in my room. 

“Because unlike you, I respect other people’s personal space,” Asmo nobly claimed. “You never know what you could walk in on,” he hummed as he sat down in one of the chairs that were at the table in my room. 

“L-Like what?” Levi muttered as he slipped into the rolling chair parked by my desk that was cluttered with books and art supplies. 

“Ugh, you just had to ask him, huh?” Mammon sighed as he plugged his D.D.D. in to charge it. 

“Beel,” I sat up once I noticed the Avatar of Gluttony by the cabinet that I kept my snack supply in, “Please don’t tell me that you are already hungry after just eating dinner,” I begged as I crossed my legs. 

“I’m not,” he swore, “I’m just checking out the supply to see if I need to restock.” 

“Gosh, you all act like this is your room,” Asmo shook his head with a smile. 

“Says the one who keeps forgetting his nail polish in my bathroom,” I teased. 

“Got em!” Levi whooped. 

“Ugh, shut up Levi,” Asmo huffed as he crossed his legs and dragged his gaze across my room. “So, you called us all in here for a family meeting, right?” 

“Right,” I nodded and fiddled with my fingers as I thought about where I wanted to go with my words. I ended up catching Asmo up to speed on what the other brothers knew- which was selective information that did not give away my entire plan- and going into more detail as to why I wanted Lucifer’s respect. 

“I see,” Asmo solemnly nodded his head after my explanation, “So let me get this straight, Claudia.” Asmo stood up and moved to sit beside me on the bed. “You’re trying to get Lucifer and Belphegor to make up, and that’s why you want to make pacts with us?”

“That’s right,” I confirmed as Asmo sighed and wrapped an arm around me. 

“If Lucifer and Belphegor did make amends,” Beel said hopefully, “Then Belphegor might be able to come back from the human world.” Mammon had noticed Asmo’s arm around my waist and he looked pissed. 

“Woah, whaddya think you’re doin’, Asmo?!” He snapped as he peered over at the demon on my other side. “Quit snugglin’ up to Claudia! Back off!”

“Well,” Asmo grinned, completely ignoring his older brother as he played with a stain of my long hair, “That is a bold idea you’ve come up with! You’re so unpredictable, Claudia! I actually love that about you, you know?” He purred. 

“Hey, moron!” Mammon hollered as he grabbed onto my arm, “Did ya even hear what I said?” 

“Everyone’s totally ignoring Mammon,” Levi snickered, “It’s like someone cast an invisibility spell on him, lol!”

“I’m not ignoring you,” I whispered to the frustrated Mammon as I patted his head with my free hand. He muttered something incoherent as Asmo spoke up. 

“Well, I’m not surprised that Satan decided to make a pact with you, then,” Asmo admitted, “He’ll do anything if it means upsetting Lucifer.”

“Still, I don’t think you’ll earn Lucifer’s respect that way, Claudia,” Beel warned me, troubled. “...Not if Satan makes a pact with you for a reason like that.” 

“I agree,” I nodded, mirroring Beel’s expression. “I want to do this the right way. There’s something I don’t understand though,” my eyebrows furrowed, “Why does Satan hate Lucifer?”’

“Ah, I guess you could say it’s like,” Asmo paused to think of the best analogy, “The more alike two people are, the more they hate each other?” 

“I’d say it’s more of an Oedipus complex thing,” Levi shrugged.

“Woah,” Mammon let go of my arms and held out his hands in protest, “Slow down. Hold on, kiddies. Claudia is just a clueless human-” 

“HEY!” 

“-A bottom-dwelling peabrain.” 

“I am not-” 

“It ain’t gonna be easy explainin’ why Satan’s so crazy cynical. I mean, it’s complicated. As the oldest,” Mammon declared, “And the smartest and the most badass demon here, you’d best leave it to me. This,” he jabbed a finger at himself, “This is a job for MAMMON.”

“Ooh, now that’s funny,” Asmo giggled, “A fleabrain calling someone else a peabrain!”

“Yeah,” Levi drew out, “Like, that’s really the pot calling the kettle black.”

“Well, I don’t care about any of this,” Beel groaned from his spot he had settled into during the discussion, “And all of this not caring is making me hungry.”

“Whatever!” Mammon huffed. “Just shut up and listen, losers!”

“Go ahead Mammon,” I crossed my arms, “But know that I find it highly insulting that you think I am a fool.” 

“Let’s start at the beginning,” Mammon rolled his eyes at me as he started, “We first came here to the Devildom because there was some, uh… trouble. Ya know,” he vaguely gestured, “Stuff happened. To put it in simple terms, it was a family fight between us and our father. At that time, Lucifer was real, real, REAL,” Mammon stressed, “Mad at our father, ya see and Satan was born from that wrath. Make sense?”

“Nope, not at all. Seriously?” I snorted. “That’s biologically impossible.”

“I’d figured you’d say that,” Mammon admitted.

“At first, Satan was nothing more than the emotion itself,” Beel spoke up, “Satan was wrath.” 

“But then the rest of us taught him things!” Asmo chipped in. “All sorts of things.”

“Right, exactly,” Levi nodded, “I guess you could say it was like one of those games where you raise your own character and train it and stuff? We all raised one character together, passing around the controller to take turns, but Lucifer played way longer than anyone else… If that makes sense.”

“Sorry, I sort of lose you there, Levi,” Asmo frowned. 

“No, I get it. Satan was especially influenced by Lucifer,” I said before shaking my head. “Ugh, I’m going to pretend that someone being born out of wrath is COMPLETELY normal, just like all of the other crazy bullshit that goes on in this realm.” 

“Satan feels like he wouldn’t exist without Lucifer,” Beel explained as I rubbed my temples. “So, it’s like he’s bound to Lucifer in that way and he doesn’t like it.” 

“He has a problem with authority then,” I hummed.

_ More like daddy issues,  _ I secretly thought. 

“But Lucifer isn’t just an overbearing father figure when it comes to Satan, you know?” Asmo brought up, “I’d say he suffocates all of us.”

_ I guess that what happens to the oldest in the family,  _ I stared down at my lap in thought.  _ They have to grow up really fast and be the parent of all of their siblings. Okay, Claudia, how are you coming to fix a shit storm problem that has been going on for centuries? The best thing I can do is talk to Satan directly.  _ I gulped, suddenly getting nervous.  _ I just hope that I don’t end up making things worse.  _

Fighting against the nerves that were crippling me with anxiety, I ended up standing in front of Satan’s door later in the evening. I’d been in the other brothers' rooms before for various reasons before but I had never stepped foot in Satan’s room before. As the most reserved of the brothers, I didn’t dare to invade his privacy. It was just a room but the unknown was horrifying to me. I took a deep breath to calm myself down before knocking on his door. 

“Come in,” I heard after a few beats. I cautiously opened the door and widened my eyes in wonder as I stepped into a wondrous dark room that was filled with books. Books were overstuffed in built-in bookshelves that lined the walls wherever there weren’t windows and books were stacked up on tables, chairs, and the floor. Magical texts were even flying around the room, some almost high enough to touch the room's high ceilings. The only clear spot was a pathway that led to Satan’s neatly put together bed where a half-packed suitcase was sitting and a purple velvet reading chair that Satan himself was sitting in. He was shifting through several books, looking troubled. 

“Ah, Claudia,” Satan’s face was unreadable as he noticed me and put down the book that he was holding, “It’s you. Did someone tell you to come here to stop me?” He suspiciously asked me as I continued to look around the room, overwhelmed by the beautifulness of it all. “Because if so, you’re wasting your time. Although,” he shook his head, “None of those guys would send you here to stop me. They all think it’s funny.”

“Books!” I gawked like a brain dead kid,” Uh, I cleared my throat and straightened my posture. “Sorry… You’re right. No one sent me. What are you doing?” 

“I’m trying to decide which of my books to take with me since I can’t possibly take them all,” Satan sighed. “So, are you interested in books?” He smiled. “I’m wondering because you were at the library earlier and you look interested in my collection now.”

“Hehe, yeah I am,” I bashfully admitted. “I even brought a few of my favorite books to the Devildom.”

_ Even though I don’t remember packing them,  _ the thought tickled the back of my brain and I pushed it down because my memory issues were not what was important at that moment. 

“Huh,” Satan seemed happy with my answer, “I guess you’re not so bad after all.” 

“I don’t think I’ve ever been bad company,” I softly said as I started to make my way to him, attempting to be careful. 

“Hey, watch your step,” Satan warned me as I moved, “A lot of my most precious books and documents are over there. Every one of the books in this room belongs to me. They’re all part of my collection. That shield there,” Satan pointed to a wall to my left,” Is full of books having to do with magic. And these,” He pointed to a different section, “Are all ancient manuscripts. Here we have astronomy and physics,” he went on, basically giving a tour of his collection as he stood up. “And that right there,” he started to say as he joined my side, “Woah,” he held his hand out, stopping me from moving on as I gazed down at a large text with a ruby red cover that had a strange text on it. The book had multiple bookmarks shoved between its pages and it gave me a weird vibe. “Be careful with that. Actually,” he started to slowly move his arm back down to his side, “Don’t even touch it.” 

“How come?” I asked. 

“That’s a forbidden book,” Satan explained, his tone becoming more hushed. “If two or more people touch it, they’ll switch bodies. Books are knowledge,” he stated as he moved away from me and to the center of the room. “And all of that knowledge from these books,” he picked one up and stared at it thoughtfully, “It’s all inside me.”

“And that knowledge is powerful,” I chipped in. 

“You’re exactly right,” he smiled up at me. “Knowledge is power. People respect someone who’s well-informed. No matter who you are,” Satan set down the book, a heaviness overcoming his tone, “No matter the circumstances of your birth, if you’re smart enough, then people can’t dismiss you.” He huffed as his gaze turned sour. “I’m guessing that my loose-lipped brothers already told you about me, right? About the circumstances of my birth?”

“About how you are the fourth oldest?” I innocently asked, wanting to see what Satan had to say on the matter himself. I wasn’t actually sure if Satan was the fourth born because the others had made it sound like they raised him like he was their kid brother. 

“Hmm, I suppose it isn’t wrong to think of the order in which we were given our demon names as the order in which we were born into the Devildom,” Satan remarked. “Our names were given by the Demon King. The old guy gave us our names based on our powers as demons, from most to least powerful, you see,” Satan explained. “I was the last of us to be born into the world, and the fourth most powerful. The fourth,” he scowled, his voice dripping with hate. “I mean,” he sighed and moved to sit on his bed next to his suitcase, “I was born from Lucifer himself… right? Ugh, it irritates the hell out of me. All right,” he cleared his throat, “Enough chitchat. I’ve said too much already. But whatever… Come on,” He waved me over to him, “Let’s make this pact.” 

“Uh, what now?” 

“That’s why you’re here, right?” He impatiently asked. “Well, I said I would do it.” 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea…” I backed up a few steps. “I’m not making a pact with you.” 

“...What did you say?” One of Satan’s eye seemed to twitch in annoyance. “I told you I’d make a pact with you,” he growled as he stood up. “You can’t seriously be planning on rejecting me? You, a human,” he was right in my face, “Reject me?” The room seemed to shake with rage. “Don’t you dare trifle with me. Do you think I’m called the Avatar of Wrath for nothing?” Satan hissed as his hands balled up into fists. “I usually work to contain my anger so it doesn’t show,” he admitted in a tone that was filled with shame but it quickly vanished and was replaced with a cruel laugh. “But I will,” he promised, “Make you suffer if you cross me, and it will be much more cruel and much less humane than anything my brothers would ever do. I’ll slice off your nose and ears, rip off your arms and legs,” Satan roared, “And feed you to the lower-level demons!” I gasped as Satan roughly grabbed my wrists.

“Listen well, human!” Satan screamed as I stared at him with fear, “If you dare say that you won’t make a pact with me again, you’ll pay for it with your-”

“Enough, Satan.” The room went quiet. I turned my head to see that Lucifer was standing in the doorway over Satan’s room. I had never been so happy to see Lucifer in my entire life. 

“Lucifer!” Satan hissed under his breath. “Fuck.” 

“Claudia is our guest, whom Diavolo invited as part of our exchange program,” Lucifer sternly lectured as he crossed his arms, “I won’t permit you to lay a hand on our exchange student.”

“Oh, there you go again!” Satan let out a snappy cackle as he shook my wrists. “Every time you open your mouth it’s Diavolo this, Diavolo that… You’re telling me that you’d actually step in to defend a human? For Diavolo? Well, I had no idea you were such a sweetheart!” Satan gasped in a mocking tone. If I wasn’t scared shitless, I would have been in the mood to let Lucifer know that I was “touched” that he cared about the helpless and stupid human for Diavolo’s sake. 

“Calm down,” Lucifer told his brother, “Don’t give in to your rage, Satan.” 

“You’re telling me not to give in to my rage?!” Satan roared in disbelief as he threw me to the side. I violently hit my head against the corner of his bed and watched from the ground as Satan grew more livid. “You’re really telling me that? YOU of all demons?!”

“Satan!” I barked as I tried to stand up but stopped as I hissed in pain. My head was killing me. 

“Stay out of this, or I’ll burn you to a crisp!” He pointed at me like I was a dog who he wanted to sit and stay. All of the books in the room started to either fall from their shelves or violently fly towards Lucifer as Satan’s wrath grew greater and greater. I ducked my head down into my chest and covered my head with my hands as I squealed. 

“Didn’t you hear me?” Lucifer yelled over the chaos as he blocked a book from hitting his face, “I said to stop.” 

“Don’t you tell me what to do!” Satan hissed like an edgy teenager. “And don’t touch my books!” Satan lunged at his brother and I looked up to see a giant red text flying towards the pair. 

“Wait, this book looks like-” I heard Lucifer say before the text made impact with both of the brothers, sending them falling to the ground on top of a stack of books as a bright light flashed across my vision for a second. Suddenly, everything went still and I cautiously stood up with terror across my face. Stepping over the mess on the ground, I made my way over to the two brothers who groaned as they started to stand up. 

“What’s going on…?” The one that looked like Lucifer asked. “That flash of light… what was it…?” I held my breath, wondering when they were going to realize that shit had hit the fan. 

They froze and they made contact with each other’s eyes after “Lucifer” had spoken. 

“No, it can’t be!” The one that looked like Satan gasped. 

“Wh-What’s going on?!” The one that looked like Lucifer gasped and jumped back, pointing at Satan. “Why’s there another ME here?!”

“It’s just as I thought,” the other brother spoke with a sigh. 

“Lucifer!” Satan hissed and placed a gloved hand on his chest as he backed up. “What’s going on?! Why have you taken my form?! What is it you’re plotting?!”

“I’m not plotting anything. Calm down, Satan…”

“He didn’t take your form, Satan,” I spoke up as I stepped between the pair. “Both of you made contact with the book you were talking about earlier Satan…” I explained with dread as I looked at the one that looked like Lucifer. “You’ve switched bodies.” 

“WHAT?” Satan’s red eyes widened. “No, it couldn’t be!” Satan was in denial.

“Oh, it very much is, I’m afraid,” Lucifer shook his head with disappointment. “We’ve switched places. You’re in my body, and I’m in yours.” 

_ And now I have to deal with way more bullshit than I have ever wanted to deal with,  _ I almost groaned as I rubbed my forehead in irritation. I had wanted to make things better, instead, I had made things, much, much worse. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments, and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	39. Chapter 39: Do Demons’ Problems Only Grow More Troublesome?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Satan and Lucifer try to adjust to their new situation but end up butting heads about how to handle it. Claudia tries her best to help but ends up needing a break from all of the chaos.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Before you start reading this chapter, I just wanted to propose a (maybe stupid) idea that's been rolling around in my head. I don't know how engaging you find the original characters in this story, but if you would like to learn more about them- and if I get enough questions- I would like to do a Q&A chapter where Nickels, Aminata, and Claudia answer questions about themselves. If you would like to see that happen, please let me know and start asking some questions! That's all guys, enjoy this chapter! :)

Explaining the body-swapping situation to everyone else wasn’t as difficult as I thought it was going to be. Mammon, Beel, and Asmo were beyond shocked about the dilemma while Levi had merely shrugged his shoulders and went “eh.” Apparently, he had seen body-swapping so many times in anime that at that point, it no longer fazed him. Based on the text, Lucifer had concluded that the effect wasn’t permitted and that in a few days, everything would go back to normal. This notion revealed me, but I seriously wondered just how many days “a few” was. Satan wanted to stay home for several days so that no one found out the reality of the situation but Lucifer was determined that the pair go to school because he thought it would be more suspicious if they didn’t go. According to him, if they stayed home, Diavolo would start asking questions. 

“I don’t want Diavolo to know that I’ve allowed such a mistake to happen,” Lucifer sighed and crossed his arms. The body-switching pair, the rest of the brothers, and I were all sitting in the music room, trying to process the situation we were in. 

“So in the end this is all about saving face, huh?” Satan snorted and narrowed his ruby eyes. 

“It doesn’t matter what this is about,” Lucifer bluntly stated. “Satan, until we return to normal, you are to stay with me whenever possible,” he ordered, “Understood?” 

“Wha?!” The other brother scoffed. “You’ve gotta be kidding me! Oh no, I don’t think so! Hard pass!”

“I don’t like it any more than you do,” Lucifer narrowed his eyes at his now taller brother, “But it seems we’ve got no choice. I need to keep an eye on you to make sure you don’t take advantage of the fact that you look like me to cause trouble. So you can protest all you want, but that’s the way it’s going to be. You’re not to leave my side, understood?” Lucifer had his usual menacing tone but he almost seemed less intimidating in Satan’s form. 

“Uh-uh, forget it!” Satan declared. 

“In case you’ve forgotten, Satan,” Lucifer hissed, “I look like you as well…” That got Satan to shut up. He glared at Lucifer with a grumpy expression. Mammon giggled, beyond amused about the situation. 

“Now things’re gettin’ interesting!” 

The pair decided, well more like Lucifer ordered, that Satan stay in his room due to the mess that Satan’s room was left in. Beel, being the sweetheart of the group, offered that if he was giving something to eat, he would let Satan and Lucifer use his room. 

“No thanks,” Satan denied his offer. “If we sleep in your room, you’ll end up sleepwalking over and taking a bite out of me in the middle of the night.”

“Uh, just so we’re clear,” Levi said in a snappy tone, “I’m NOT letting you use my room. I’ve got too many priceless figurines and super-rare posters in there.”

“We didn’t ask you, Levi,” Satan rolled his eyes.

“Fine then,” Mammon sighed, “Guess I ain’t got a choice. Okay, if both of you pay me a proper sum for each and every night you spend, then you can stay in my-”

“Asmo,” Satan completely ignored Mammon and turned to face the Avatar of Lust. “What about your room?” 

“Pass. I mean, we’re talking about my castle,” Asmo dramatically explained as he placed a hand over his heart, “And every inch of it is dedicated to ensuring that I always look beautiful. I’m afraid that’s just the way it is.” I could feel my eyes roll at Asmo’s words. 

_ That’s not the only reason you don’t want them staying in your room _ , I smugly thought. I could recall that before I formed a pact with the Avatar of Lust, I constantly saw him sneak in “guests” during the late hours of the night when I either couldn’t sleep or was returning to my room after paying a visit to Belphegor. Now, I couldn’t recall him bringing anyone in since he formed a pact with me and I found that interesting, but I didn’t have the slightest clue as to why things had changed. 

“HEY!” Mammon waved his arms around in an attempt to gain his brothers’ attention. “Someone listen to what I’m sayin’!” 

“Let’s see,” Lucifer hummed while in deep thought, “We need a room that’s fairly large, where there are no problems with the room or its occupant, and it needs to be someone who isn’t allowed to refuse us…” 

“And let me guess,” I sighed, knowing where Lucifer was going with his trail of thought, “That room is mine and occupant is me.” 

“Well then, I see you understand perfectly. Yes,” Lucifer nodded, not giving a damn about how I felt regarding the situation, “It looks like Satan and I will be staying with you for a while.” Mammon tried to protest but his yells went unnoticed by his brothers. 

“Then come on…” I pulled myself up from the spot I was sitting at, “Gather all of the belongings you can and meet me in my room.” I dragged myself out of the room, a little snotty feeling about the whole situation. Sure, I blamed myself for the drama between Satan and Lucifer, but I hadn’t the slightest clue as to why that meant I had to play sleepover with the pair. 

“Maybe I should let the two just have my room while I convince Aminata to let me stay with her,” I mumbled and looked up at the time that was present on one of the grandfather clocks in the hall I was wandering down. “But I’ve got to suck it up for tonight because it is too late…” I yawned and went on a search for two cots. I wasn’t going to let the pair sleep on the floor and I was most certainly not about to cram all three of us onto my bed. 

After the two settled down in my room, with the audience of Asmo and Mammon who weren’t quite done pestering the two, Lucifer established some ground rules: one, the pair would never go into each others rooms without the other present, and two, the pair would do anything in their power to not cause attention to be drawn to them. Easy enough, sure, but I knew that the application would be much much harder. 

“Claudia, I think you know this, but I don’t trust those two one bit,” Lucifer mumbled while hurrying after me, his sight never leaving my peripheral vision. It was the next day and I was putting up posters for my long awaited theatre club in the hallways of RAD. I had designed the posters that morning out of impatience and was eager to get as much attention as I could. In my mind, the sooner, the better. “Satan and Mammon both think this whole situation is funny,” Lucifer huffed while I bobbed my head to my own happy tune. “And it’s possible that they might do something outrageous for comical effect.” 

“Mhm,” I hummed, letting Lucifer know that I was listening.

“Claudia,” he stressed my name out as he placed a hand on my shoulder. I gazed down at the hand, finding it strange that it was not Lucifer’s normally gloved hand. The body-switching situation was still a surreal one to me. “I want you to keep an eye on those two. If it looks like they’re about to try anything they shouldn’t-”

“Hey!” Mammon shouted from across the hall, “We’re standin’ RIGHT HERE, y’know!” He was holding a large stack of my posters which Satan would grab from and add to the collection that was stapled to the RAD walls. 

“He wanted us to hear what he said,” Satan mumbled. 

“Hello there, Lucifer!” Diavolo called out, popping out of who knows where. Lucifer gasped, panicked. He tried to keep his eyes glued to one of the posters. “Wow,” Diavolo admired the closest posters to him, “Claudia, are these your club posters?” I nodded. “I can’t believe you are already getting to work on it!” He let out a jolly laugh. “I only told you the news yesterday.”

“Ah, what can I say?” I could feel myself smile despite the awkward situation that was waiting to happen between Satan, Lucifer, and Diavolo. “Once I have my mind set on something, nothing can stop me.” 

“So Lucifer,” Diavolo gaze shifted towards Satan, “What happened this morning?” He asked, his voice becoming sad. “You always stop by the assembly hall first thing in the morning, but you weren’t there today.” Lucifer gave his brother a toxic glare as if to say: “You know what to do, right?” 

“Oh, Diavolo!” Satan gasped with an overjoyed grin. “I am soooo sorry! I’m so happy to see you! You’re all I ever think about, honey,” I could feel my shoulders shake as I tried to contain my embarrassed laughter. “I dreamed about you again last night,” he gasped, “And then I ended up oversleeping, which is why I wasn’t at the assembly hall…!” Mammon let out a wheeze that made it sound like he was dying before erupting in laughter which caused him to spill my posters everywhere.

“Mammon!” I whined and shoved the stapler in my hands to Lucifer before rushing over to pick up the mess. Diavolo stood among the scattered posters, looking bizarred out.

“Diavolo?” Satan fluttered his eyelashes, “Is it just me, or do you look tense?” He innocently asked. “Want me to give you a nice shoulder massage? How about your arms? Maybe your legs too? If you’re feeling tired, you just let me know, okay?” He purred as he rested a hand on Diavolo’s shoulder. 

“Hey Claudia,” Lucifer moved to help me and Mammon pick up posters, “I’m not actually like that, am I?” He whispered, seriously concerned. “I’m really not, right?” 

“I don’t feel tense at all- or tired for that matter,” Diavolo eventually spoke. “So, Satan,” Diavolo grinned, “What are you doing inside Lucifer’s body?” Satan gasped and quickly removed his hand. 

“Woah, now THAT was impressive,” Mammon exclaimed as he hopped up holding the posters he managed to shuffle together, “Lord Diavolo could tell right off the bat that Lucifer here ain’t Lucifer.”

“Well it’s pretty damn obvious,” I admitted as I hopped up as well. “The only other explanation would be that Lucifer has brain damage.” Lucifer slowly rose in between us and Diavolo beamed at him. Lucifer seemed meek for some reason. 

“Ah, and Satan seems moved for some reason. I suppose that means it’s Lucifer on the inside,” the lord reasoned.

“Diavolo, you can tell it’s me?” Lucifer asked with shock. 

“Well, of course I can,” he answered as if it was obvious with admiration in his golden eyes, “We’ve known each other a long time, after all.” 

“Damn,” Satan hissed, disappointed. 

“So let’s hear it,” Diavolo spoke as we walked as a group further down the hall, “What happened?” It didn’t take long to explain the situation to Diavolo. “It’s good that the effect will wear off in a few days, and you’ll go back to your old bodies.” Diavolo admitted once he fully understood the situation, “However…”

“However? Uh oh, that can’t be good,” I sighed. 

“Lucifer, I believe you’re scheduled to give a speech to the entire student body the day after tomorrow, aren’t you?” Diavolo asked. “Is everything going to be all right with that?” Lucifer looked taken aback. 

_ Looks like someone forgot that they had a speech coming up... _

“Ooh,” Mammon buzzed around like a pestering fly, “Looks like Lucifer’s in a pickle!” Apparently, Lucifer, in two days' time, had to give a report to the student body on the current state of the exchange program and its progression for the exchange students. He planned to talk about harmony and Diavolo’s goal, but that would be a little hard to do in Satan’s body. 

“If we’re still in each other’s bodies the day after tomorrow,” Lucifer explained wearily to me as he drove. The school day had ended and Lucifer had surprisingly offered me a ride to work. Now stuck alone with him, he was expressing his woes to me. “Satan will end up having to give the speech as me.” 

“But is that such a bad thing?” I asked from the passenger side as I stared out of Lucifer’s ride’s window. 

“Out of all of my brothers, Satan is the one who’s most like me,” Lucifer explained. “Normally, I think he’d have no trouble handling a task like this, but this time, it’s different.”

“And why is that?” I asked with a raised eyebrow as I turned to face him. 

“I have no idea what he might do up on a stage like that, with an opportunity to run my reputation in front of everyone,” Lucifer said with a scowl. A part of me wanted to tell Lucifer that he should have a little more faith in his brother but I understood why he was concerned, especially considering what happened with Lord Diavolo earlier. “Hmm, what to do,” Lucifer fretted while tapping his fingers along the driver’s wheel of his ride. “I mean, I can’t very well go up there and give the speech in this body, after all.”

“Maybe you should talk things over with Satan,” I offered. 

“...Are you saying that you think Satan would understand where I’m coming from if I spoke with him about this?”

“Yes?” I winched. 

“...You’re right,” Lucifer softly smiled. “I can’t simply decide that there’s no way for us to understand each other. All I have to do is make an honest attempt at reaching common ground.”

“Exactly!” I nodded eagerly, hoping that the pair would be able to further understand each other from this experience. Soon after my words of wisdom to Lucifer, I found myself in front of Devhora in all of its pinkalicious glory. 

“Bye Lucifer!” I called out as I entered the shop. Both Nickels and Aminata sat up at the front counter. Nickels was staring out of the window when I entered and once he heard my voice, he flashed me a frown with a tilt of his head in confusion and I knew that I fucked up. 

_ Damnit, I really need to be careful about that big mouth of mine.  _

Nickels’ expression became amused, probably getting a gist of my situation based on my mind. I would still end up explaining it all to him anyway. Just because Nickels could read my mind, that didn’t mean I treated him any differently. Aminata, meanwhile, was rather distracted by the conversation she was having with someone over the phone.

“Ew,” She frowned as she twirled a strain of her hair with a finger, “Why is the event over the weekend? Uh-huh. Well, I guess what Dia says goes.” Aminata looked up and flashed me a smile as I walked by, making my way towards the break room. “Oh of course I’ll be your plus one, Asmo boo,” was the last thing I heard before slipping out of sight. Once fitted into my uniform, I stepped out and noticed that Nickels had moved away from the counter, now helping out a customer that just entered. 

“So give me the scoop on this event that's happening this weekend,” Aminata called out to me as she beckoned me over with a wave. 

“Huh?” I walked over, unsure what she meant. I carried my D.D.D. in my hands and set it down once I was in front of the witch. I typically didn’t have my phone out during work as I deemed it unprofessional but I was worried that more chaos would erupt at the House of Lamentation while I was away. I wanted to be accessible in case of an emergency. 

“You know,” she sighed, “I heard that all of the RAD students are getting together for a suit and tie meeting this weekend at the campus so that Dia can go on and on about RAD’s greatness and the student exchange program’s greatness.” 

“Oh that,” I hummed as I moved to stand behind her, occupying a cash register. “All I know is that Lucifer is supposed to be giving a speech about the exchange program in honor of Diavolo.” 

“Weird, considering how it’s only been a few months,” Aminata scoffed, “But whateves!” She grinned at me and pointed at me. “Sounds totally boring but I always make any event I go to a blast so have no fear, girly. I will keep you from falling asleep bored out of ya mind!” 

“Oh, being bored is the least of my worries,” I said as I fiddled with my fingers. “Some recent events at the House of Lamentation might make things harder for Lucifer to give his speech…” 

“What do you-?” Aminata started to ask but stopped when the jiggle of the shop door’s bell was heard. “Oh, welcome to Devhora!” Aminata greeted the customer that just entered with a cheery disposition. I put my signature customer service smile on display but it quickly melted away once I realized who it was that just entered. 

_ Eisheth,  _ my mind almost seemed to hiss. Eisheth herself didn’t seem pleased to see me. Still wearing her RAD uniform, the demoness looked more humble than she typically did. In fact, she seemed a little beat down. I thought I saw bags under her sharp eyes. 

“Oh,” she frowned at the sight of me. “I forgot that you worked here.” 

“Um,” Aminata's gaze flickered between the two of us as the gears in her mind turned. “You’re a new customer here, aren’t you?!” She asked a little too happily as she slipped from behind the counter and rushed over to Eisheth. “Let me show you around and help you find what you are looking for!” She quickly turned Eisheth away from me and I watched as Aminata guided her to the lipstick selection. My instincts told me to run away and hide but I sucked it up and flashed a smile to a customer that approached with a handful of products that they wanted to purchase. 

“Have a pleasant evening!” I called out to a customer after they made a purchase and were on their way out the door. It had been a few minutes since Eisheth’s arrival to Devhora and Aminata was skipping around the store and blabing as she distracted the grumpy looking Eisheth. I couldn’t help but to cautiously watch the display like a prey fearfully studying their predator’s next moves. 

“That’s Asmo ex… bet this is awkward for you,” Nickles simply stated beside me and I jumped, startled. 

“Gah, where did you come from and how long were you standing there?” I asked in a hushed tone as I looked up at the homey demon. 

“I came from the back room and I've been standing here," he glanced down at his wristwatch, "About a minute. I was wondering if you were ever going to notice me but you seem distracted by a lot.” 

“Eisheth being here is just the cherry on the fucking cake of disaster,” I muttered. 

“Does your grumpy disposition have something to do with you calling Satan Lucifer?” Nickels smirked. “I saw who dropped you off… That sure didn’t look like Lucifer.”

“Would you believe me if I told you that Satan and Lucifer switched bodies and are stuck like that for several days?” 

“Of course,” he said without hesitation. 

“Well that’s what happened,” I groaned and covered my face with my hands. “It wouldn’t be such a big deal if Lucifer didn’t have a big speech to give, if Lucifer and Satan didn’t hate each other, and if Satan didn’t ask to form a pact with me-”

“Woah, woah, woah, kid,” Nickels chuckled as he held his hands out to stop me. “Satan asked you to form a pact with you? Where did that come from?” 

“Satan just asked because he wanted a reason to piss Lucifer off,” I explained as I crossed my arms and slumped over the counter. “With the way things are, I never know how I am going to get close with Satan and Lucifer and free Belphegor from the attic.” Besides Aminata, Nickels was the only other person who knew the full extent of my plan. I couldn’t hide anything from a mind reader and I trusted Nickels. I was already friendly with Nickels, but after the ball during the exchange student resort, I had grown a newfound respect for him. He still didn’t talk much about his true identity as Nicolas Charms and his family, but I understood why and I was willing to wait for him to open up. 

“Come on kid,” he comforted me with a pat on my head, “You know that you can’t just give up.”

“I know,” I whispered, “But not knowing what might happen is scary. I keep thinking, what if I never free Belphegor and he’s just trapped in that lonely attic forever? I don’t think I could live with myself if that happened.” 

“I’m done,” Eisheth unceremoniously declared as she dumped several products down in front of me. I kept my tongue because I knew my words would betray me as I rose from the counter. 

“I’ll get it,” Nickels told me as he slipped around me, trading spots with me. He scanned the products in silence, ignoring the intense stare that Eisheth was giving him. 

“Do I know you?” She eventually asked as she crossed her arms. 

“We’ve never shared a word with each other before,” Nickels explained casually, “But your previous boyfriend flirted with me at a ball- but don’t worry, I wasn’t interested.” Eisheth seemed to wiggle with irritation at Nickels’ words. 

“Oh. So I really shouldn't have come here,” she grunted. 

“Nonsense!” Aminata called out from across the room where she was attempting to pick up a heavy box that she dragged out of storage. “Ah!” She gasped as she weakly picked up the box but then dropped it on the ground immediately after. “Nickels? Claudia? Can you give me a hand?” 

“Yeah, coming!” I called out and hurried over to help her. I ended up not being much help, so after Nickels handed Eisheth her Devhora bag and receipt, he strolled over to us struggling weaklings. 

“Have a pleasant day,” Nickels called out as he ushered us out of his way and picked the box up like it was as light as a pillow. 

“See now this is why I hired you!” Aminata clapped her hands together and Nickels laughed. “Okay, let’s take it over to the powder section…” 

My shift went on without any other disturbances and as soon as I knew it, we were closing up shop. Nickels always took out the trash and locked the doors while Aminata and I changed in the break room. 

“Aminata?” I nervously asked my boss as I shimmied out of my uniform dress. 

“What up, girly?” 

“I know I’m asking this without much notice… but could I spend the night at your place?”

“Oh of course!” Aminata beamed from the table that was in the center of the room. She was munching on a late night snack while playing on her phone. “Wait,” she frowned as she looked up at me. “What happened? Did those boys do something to make you uncomfortable?” 

“No, no!” I gasped as I started to put on my long red and black plaid RAD uniform skirt. “Well, okay kinda,” I sighed, “Both Lucifer and Satan are currently staying in my room and I just want to escape for a bit. 

“What the hell?” Aminata snorted, “Now why are Lucy and Satan staying in your room, girly?” 

“Oh boy,” I let out a pained laugh. “It’s a long story that would be easier to show rather than tell. Can we swing by the House of Lamination so that I can grab a few things?” 

“Sure,” Aminata hopped up from her seat. “But lemme ask Nickels first cause he’s my driverrrr,” the witch sang out as she skipped out of the room. 

_ Outfit? Check,  _ I thought as I posed in the mirror that was hanging on the break room’s wall after I finished changing.  _ School briefcase? _ I held it up as if to show myself. _ Check. Phone? Wait… where is my phone?  _ I hurried out of the breakroom and to the front of the stop. I stopped in front of the cash registers and stared at the blank spot where I THOUGHT I had left my phone. 

“Hey ya,” I heard Aminata say from behind me as she approached where I was standing. “You ready to go? Nickels is willing to drop by your house first.” 

“Uh, yeah just- Has anyone seen my D.D.D.?” I asked as I turned around to see Aminata and Nickels standing behind me. 

“Hm, I saw you set it down over here but that’s about all I remember,” Amianta claimed as she walked over to join my side. “Huh…” She stared at the spot I had just been eyeing a few seconds ago. “That’s odd.” I groaned and ran a hand through my hair. The last thing I wanted to stress about was my missing phone. Aminata patted me on the back with a sympathetic gaze. “Don’t worry girly, I’m sure it will pop up somewhere. How about I look around my shop tomorrow and if I can’t find it, I’ll hit up some of my regular customers to see if they accidentally snatched it or something.” 

“Okay, okay,” I sighed, “But I need to let Lucifer know that I misplaced it so the whole gang doesn’t freak out and burn the house down just because they can’t get ahold of me.” 

“Sure, let them know when we arrive!” She chirped and we made our way out of Devhora through the back entrance. The drive to the House of the Lamentation was longer than expected due to the evening’s traffic but it was much better than my original plan of walking several blocks enduring the cold and windy weather of the Devildom night. 

When Nickels slowed his car and parked it alongside the others that lined the front of the looming mansion, Aminata cheerfully hopped out and skipped towards the gothic door that acted as the front entrance. I stepped out as well, without as much enthusiasm, and started to move towards the front door but paused when I noticed that Nickels didn’t budge from the driver’s side. He noticed my hesitation and rolled down his window. 

“Are you not coming inside?”

“Ah, um…” He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. “Should I?” 

“It’s not like you are a stranger. Anyway, you’ve been inside before,” I teased the demon as I nodded my head to the estate behind me. 

“That’s true,” He softly admitted, “But the more I interact with the avatars, the more… guilty I feel.” 

“Nickels,” I placed a hand on my hips in an authority style, “You have nothing to feel guilty about. What your family did is not your fault.” Nickels agreed with a hum and rolled up his window before stepping out as well. 

“You’re right,” He admitted and started to walk with me. Aminata was already on the front porch and was yelling at us to hurry up as she barged inside like she owned the place. “I know that and I have known that for many years but I think I feel guilty because I feel like I live a lie.” 

“Where is everyone?” Aminata obnoxiously yelled once Nickels and I stepped into the entrance hall. 

“Probably my room,” I guessed and ended up being right because we could hear chatter down the hall the closer we got to my room. 

“MAAAMMOOOOON,” I heard a yell that would typically come from Lucifer uttered. 

“Looks like someone is in trouble,” Aminata whistled as we got closer to my room. I shook my head, Aminata would understand it all in just a moment. 

“Eh,” I heard a bored Levi. “I’m tired of hearing you impersonate Lucifer.” 

“Why don’t you try saying something in Lucifer’s voice that the real Lucifer would never say?” Beel offered. 

“Ah, yeah, okay,” Satan replied, “Something Lucifer would never say… I’m in love with Ruri-chan! She’s my baby! Kyaaa!” The room busted out into laughter. Aminata gasped and hurried over to my door, almost tripping on her sparkly platform heels, and slammed my door open. 

“What happened?” She demanded amidst the brothers’ laughter. “Did Lucy hit his head really hard???” 

“I wish that was all that happened,” Lucifer grimly sighed from one of my room’s chairs. “Aminata, this is a surprise…”

“Satan, what is going on-?” Aminata paused like a computer lagging. She sharply turned towards me and Nickels who joined her side in the doorway. “Wait,” her lips joined together to make a duck-like shape, “Did- I- Huh?” Her head snapped back towards the brothers camping out in my room (which were Satan, Beel, and Levi). Satan sat on my bed with the other brothers surrounding him while Lucifer was pouting a few feet away. “I see what is going on!” She boldly claimed as she waved a pointed finger around, “Satan and Lucifer switched bodies so that why girly mentioned that it would be hard for Lucifer to give his speech this Saturday!” 

“Basically,” Nickels smirked. 

“And Lucifer,” Aminata grinned as she stared at Satan, “Would NEVER let me call him Lucy in front of him.” 

“I still don’t approve of it,” Lucifer snapped and gave me a gloomy look as I walked into my room. “I would ask why you decided to give me an even bigger headache by bringing Aminata here but I’m more concerned about my brothers.” Lucifer turned his gaze over to the group that had grown with the inclusion of Nickels and Aminata. Aminata had taken over the group conversation while Nickels blended in like a wallflower. “They’re taking advantage of the fact that I’m much less powerful here in Satan’s body,” Lucifer explained to me. 

“I’m really sorry,” I gave Lucifer a genuine look of pity, “Try to not let it get to you.” In Satan’s body, Lucifer wasn’t as uptight and bossy as he tended to be. He always tried to act like a strict father around me but didn’t have the energy to do it in the state he was in. 

“That’s a bit too much to ask when they’re right here doing it in the same room as me,” Lucifer sighed. “Anyway, why are all of you in Claudia’s room? Beel, Levi?” Lucifer called out to the pair. 

“Well, Lucifer said,” Beel started to say but corrected himself, “Um, I mean, Satan said that if I hung out here and made a bunch of noise, he’d give me treats.” 

“Beel!” Satan hissed and glared at his brother. “Do you have to be stupid honest like that? Come on!” 

“I see,” Lucifer stated bitterly, “So you’re trying to harass me.” 

“Boo!” Aminata shouted as she plopped herself down on my bed beside Satan and grabbed one of my pillows to hug onto it. 

“Just bored, Levi is!” Levi said in his Yoda voice. “Only reason for being here...mm, yes, only reason it is! Actually,” Levi cleared his throat, “The truth is that there’s this new game that was released and I’m waiting for Akuzon to deliver it. I’m so excited it’s crazy,” he almost squealed. 

“I’m surprised Mammon isn’t in here,” Nickels finally spoke up to the group. “Claudia makes it sound like he is always camped out in her room.” Both Satan and Lucifer seemed to get tense at the mention of Mammon. 

“Nickels, mention Mammon, you should not,” Levi warned the demon. 

“Why not?” Beel seemed confused as he looked between Nickels and his brothers. 

“Well,” Levi turned to Beel, “Keep this between us, you must! A secret it is!”

“Oh, oh! Spill the deets!” Aminata squealed. 

“Oh god, this is going to be bad, isn’t it?” I rolled my eyes as I moved away from Lucifer and looked around for my overnight bag so that I could start packing for the night. 

“I heard,” Levi gossiped, “That Mammon and Satan hatched a plan to have a party with a bunch of succubi, taking advantage of the fact that Satan is in Lucifer’s body!” 

“No!” Amianta gasped, eating the drama up. “What happened?” 

“Find out their plan and tell them they couldn’t go, Lucifer did,” Levi explained, bringing back the yoda voice, “And go in their palace, Asmodeus did. Very very happy, he seemed!” 

“So that’s where he is right now!” Aminata gasped. “He mentioned he had some plans tonight when I talked to him earlier.” 

“For something that’s supposed to be a secret, you certainly don’t seem to mind talking about it so loud that every one of us can hear,” Lucifer scowled. 

“So basically Mammon is taking advantage of the fact that Lucifer isn’t as powerful as usual to run rampant and cause chaos,” I summarized. “Great. Just great,” I huffed as I shoved a shirt into my bag that I had managed to find during the gossip feast. 

“After class,” Levi went on with a smirk, “Mammon went and got the head of the RAD newspaper club and brought him to Satan.”

“Levi, you fucking idiot!” Satan groaned. 

“Then,” Levi ignored his pissed off brother, “Satan pretended to be Lucifer and said that he’d increase funding for their club next year in exchange for a BRIBE!” 

“And that bribe is going to be filling up Mammy’s pockets,” Aminata giggled. 

“...Beel,” Lucifer demanded his younger brother’s attention. 

“What?” 

“I want you to go find Mammon and string him up for me. Hang him upside down,” Lucifer coldly demanded.

“...Me?” Beel timidly asked. “Um, I understand that you can’t boss Mammon around right now since you’re inside Satan’s body, Lucifer, but still-” 

“I’ll give you one hundred dozen Uncle Demon’s donuts as a reward for doing this,” Lucifer bribed Beel.

“Deal!” Beel eagerly licked his lips. 

“Anyway… Claudia, what are you doing?” Lucifer asked as he turned his attention towards me. 

“Oh, oops,” I paused and flashed him a smile. “I guess I should have said this the moment I came back, but I’m going to spend the night at Aminata’s. I would have called you earlier and told you but, well…” 

“Girly misplaced her phone,” Amianta jumped in. “I’m sure it’s just somewhere around the shop, and I’ll find it tomorrow but we worked too hard of a shift to feel like digging around for it after hours.” 

“I would usually lecture you on being careful with your belongings and to ask me for permission before doing something but,” Lucifer surprised me by giving me a tight smile, “I’m not your father. Have fun… Just make sure you find your D.D.D., okay?” 

“Oh!” I was too shocked for a moment to speak. 

“Well,” Satan smugly declared, “Since Claudia won’t be here and since I’m the oldest, I get to use the bed.” 

“Wrong,” Lucifer narrowed his eyes at Satan, “I’m Lucifer, not you. So, I’ll be using the bed, of course. You can sleep on a cot.” 

“I’m taking the bed.” 

“No you’re not, I am.”

“This is giving me a headache…” Beel groaned. 

_ No kidding,  _ I thought as I shook my head and threw my packed bag over my shoulder.  _ It seems like things are even worse between Lucifer and Satan now that they’ve switched bodies. So much for Lucifer and Satan talking it out. I doubt they could get through a serious conversation now without trying to kill each other.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments, and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	40. Chapter 40: Do Demons Have Sleepovers?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia spends the night over at Aminata's place and the two girls bond after Aminata opens up about something. The next morning, Claudia asks for Nickels' advice about how to get Satan and Lucifer to get along. He gives her an idea that she might end up regretting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back to another chapter of Miracles! I just wanted to remind you that if you are interested in a Q&A from the characters to leave some questions down below. I'll put in a remainder before every upcoming chapter and if no one ends up being interested then that's okay! I hope you enjoy this next chapter. 
> 
> WARNING: This chapter has elements of suicidal thoughts and intentions that some readers may be uncomfortable with.

After leaving the House of Lamentation, I was hit with a weariness that I struggled against as Nickels drove us through the Devildom. I silently stared out of the window that was the closest to my seat and attempted to stay awake while Nickels and Aminata’s conversation buzzed in the background. 

“Satan and Lucy have always had a bad relationship ever since I’ve known them,” I heard Aminata tell Nickels, “But it seems worse than normal.” 

“I think it’s because they are in a vulnerable position and are fighting to prove that they’re in control,” Nickels hypnotized. “Lucifer has always been in power, but in Satan’s body, he must feel so helpless. Meanwhile, Satan has a newfound power that he’s never had before and is abusing it.” 

“Wow, did you read their minds to get all of that?!” Aminata gasped. 

“No,” Nickels simply stated to Aminata’s disappointment, “I merely know how people work. Humans, demons- they aren’t all that different. Hmm, even angels aren’t as flawless as they appear. All three feel emotions. All three have insecurities, desires, and flaws.” 

“Oof, now ain’t that the truth.” 

After that, their conversation became incomprehensible as sleep finally overtook me in its embrace. 

_ “... You aren’t who you think you are.”  _

“Huh?” I mumbled as I blinked the sleep from my eyes. Both Nickels and Aminata were looking back at me from the front while Aminata gently shook my knee. 

“I said we’re here girly, so rise and shine!” Aminata smiled. 

“Gotcha,” I yawned. From my position, I could tell that Nickels had parked his car in the parking lot of an apartment complex. As soon as the pair knew that I was fully awake, they both stepped out of the car and started to head towards the entrance. I followed after them, jogging to catch up to them. The apartment complex was a dark and looming building like most that were present in the Devildom and had iron fenced balconies that complemented each outer apartment room. Surrounding the dark walls were beds of thorny flowers that looked like they needed to be watered. 

“Do you both live in this complex?” I inquired as we walked through the apartment’s main entrance. At the front desk was a bored-looking demon with spiky hair playing on their D.D.D. 

“Yup,” Aminata chirped as she smirked at Nickels. “We’re actually hall neighbors. That’s how we met.” 

“From there, a beautiful friendship and a workable boss and employee relationship were formed,” Nickels facetiously declared as he walked over to a wall across from the front desk where there were rows of tiny mailboxes lined and stacked upon each other. He pulled a key from his pocket and jiggled with it as he unlocked his mailbox to check it. 

“Come on girly,” Aminata nodded her head towards the elevator, “Let’s go on ahead. Nickels is meticulously slow when it comes to checking his mail.” 

“I like to make sure everything is in order before I head back up,” Nickels claimed as he started to shift through the mailbox. I followed after Aminata to and into the elevator. She pushed the button for her floor level and we waited in silence as the elevator climbed up to the fourth floor. Once we were on the fourth floor, I trailed after Aminata as she went down several hallways until she landed in front of a black door with the number “428” beside it. 

“Tada!” She cheered and pulled her apartment card out of her fluffy pink purse before slipping it into the card slot that was on her door. The door made a clicking sound and Aminata grandly pushed her door open and stepped inside. “Now for the grand reveal! What kind of place does the Grand Witch Aminata live in and what secrets does it reveal?” Her giggles fluttered around my ears as I followed in after her and stared in shocked silence at the room I just stepped into. 

_ There’s… There’s no pink.  _

I had expected the bubbly witch’s room to be a bubblegum pink paradise that looked like it had been hosed down in Pepto Bismol but instead, I was greeted with a warm and earthy open concept living room and kitchen that had heavy traditional African influence. 

“I’m going to go wash my face off and change so go ahead and make yourself comfortable,” Aminata called out to me as she skipped down a hallway that was to the left. 

“O-Okay,” I responded as I closed the door behind me and set my overnight bag down by the doorway. I took this time to wander around the space I was in, taking it all in. The space was dimly lit by a few patterned lamps that emitted a warm light but most of the light came from the sliding glass door that led out to the balcony which was letting moonlight in. The wall of the living room and dining area was a soft cream that was barely visible by the artwork, masks, and pictures that decorated it. I approached one of the giant handmade tribal masks that guarded either side of the television that was mounted to the wall and ran a hand through the rough ropey material that hung down from it. I kicked my RAD uniform shoes off and set them by my bag before walking over the large printed patterned rug that sat under the leather couch that faced the TV. The couch was lined with bright warm pillows that complimented the earthy brown of the couch perfectly. Beside the couch was a side table that had a lamp that was turned on and a framed photograph sitting on top of it.

_ What’s this?  _ I thought as I walked over and gently picked up the photo. 

Inside the frame, a moment between two happy people was captured. A young teenager who must have been Aminata beamed brightly beside an older and lighter-skinned woman. Aminata didn’t have on all of the pop I was used to seeing her wear, and instead had on a green robe that looked out of place in the modern-day. Her head lacked hair except for the light fringe that was present on top of her head. With that appearance, I would have thought that Aminata was some little boy instead of the woman I knew. The woman beside her seemed otherworldly and mysterious with her white milky eyes and black wispy hair that was hidden underneath a hood decorated with hanging gold. 

“That’s a photo of me and Aicha Kandicha,” I heard and looked up to see Aminata standing in front of me. She had taken off her makeup and wig and only worn a patterned robe that was tightly secured around her waist. 

“Who’s that?” I asked as I placed the framed photo back where it belonged and sat down on the couch. “I feel like I’ve heard that name before.” 

“Well,” Aminata sighed, her voice much softer and serious than I was used to, “That’s because I think I’ve mentioned her before.” She joined me on the couch. “Remember when I was telling you the story about how I first met Asmo?” I nodded. “I mentioned that Aicha brought me to the Devildom, but I didn’t say much more about her. Oh, Aicha,” Aminata sadly smiled as she picked up the photo and looked at it, “She was the first person to ever see my worth, girly. Gosh,” she pointed to herself in the photo with a laugh, “Look at me! I look so much different.” 

“Well, it has been a few hundred years since,” I explained with a playful smile. 

“Yeah, yeah…” She didn’t look up from the photo. “Every time I look at this photo, I’m reminded of so many good things… but also a lotta bad.” 

“What do you mean?” I asked as I adjusted my position to face Aminata. 

“Well girly, I never had any good experiences in the human realm- I guess you could say I’m the opposite of Nickels. He spent his whole life avoiding what should have been his home, the Devildom, while I avoided mine which was the human realm.” Aminata tapped her long pink acrylic nails against the photo’s frame. “I was someone I didn’t want to be, even as a young kid.” 

“Meaning?” I softly asked. 

“You know how Satan and Lucifer gotta deal with being in a body that doesn’t belong to them? Think of that pain and disconnection for your whole life,” Aminata said as she looked up at me. I thought that I was starting to get what she was saying. “I…” She struggled to say what was coming out of her mouth, “I was born in a body and given a name that didn’t fit.” 

_ Is… Is Aminata trans?  _

She laughed as she spoke, “My dead name was Amiri, isn’t that so gross? It doesn’t match me at all.” 

“Aminata is definitely more fitting,” I agreed. 

“Ugh, I hated myself,” Aminata whispered. “I hated my parents and siblings because they just kept shoving the fact that I was a little boy,” she cringed at “little boy”, “Down my throat…” 

“It must have been the worst… I can’t even imagine,” I shook my head as sympathy and empathy overtook me. 

“Sorry,” Aminata cleared her throat, “Look at me! I’m getting a little too depressing for a Thursday evening, aren’t I girly?” 

“No, no,” I gasped with wide eyes. “It’s totally fine- I’m fine. You can keep talking about it if you want, I’m really touched that you are telling me about your past,” I encouraged Aminata. 

“Ah, okay,” a smile managed to appear on Aminata’s face, “Thanks girly. Anywho, I kinda snapped when my daddy caught me trying on my sister’s clothes and my mama’s jewelry. He um,” her voice trembled, “He dragged me out of our family’s hut and beat me with a switch in the middle of the village. Afterward, I ran my sore booty outta the village sobbing like a wailing banshee,” Aminata laughed a little but she quickly cleared her throat and continued. “I didn’t know where I was going, but I knew that anything, even death, was better than what I felt and was going through. I trudged on for a few hours until I could no longer see my tribe along the grassy horizon. I was lost in the middle of nowhere but I didn’t care- I was in a dark place, girly. As I curled up along a watering hole surrounded by some shady trees, I hoped that I would wake up in a completely different world as a completely different person.”

“What happened next?” 

“I awoke to the sound of rippling water that roared beside me. I jumped up and hid behind a tree because the sound was so loud and powerful that I thought it was some kind of beast. It had grown dark outside so the water looked like it had locks of silver in it as someone started to rise from the water. Gosh girly,” she happily sighed as she reached over and shook my hand that was resting on the leather of the couch, “It was so magical looking. I was still scared but I stepped out from my hiding spot to see a beautiful woman dripping in fine robes of bright colors I have never seen so vibrant before.”

“She was Aicha Kandicha, wasn’t she?” I asked but said little else, not wanting to interrupt Aminata’s enthralling story. 

“Yup, and even at the time, I knew it was her. The children in my village were always told tales about demons. One of them was about a beautiful demoness known as Aicha Kandicha with goat legs that would appear to take and consume the souls of little boys and men. The moment I saw the legs of a goat underneath the bright robes I knew it was her. I honestly thought that I was about to die but she gazed at me in silence until she finally said: ‘Do not fear little one, I will not claim you among my prey tonight for you are not a man and only men suit my appetite.’” 

Aminata continued to tell me about how Aicha ended up taking young Aminata under her wing as a witch in training. She looked upon this moment as one of the best in her life, but she couldn’t help but cry as she told the story. The past was a peculiar creature that always stirred up the worst concoction of emotions. 

“Then I ended up in the Devildom and the rest is history,” Aminata smiled. Her face was shiny with tears. 

“And I’m sure glad you did,” I yawned as I spoke, “Otherwise I wouldn’t have such a badass boss and friend.” Aminata giggled and hugged me. 

“Believe me, I’m sure glad too,” she whispered as we pulled apart from each other. “Look at me,” Aminata gasped as she checked the time on her D.D.D. that she had sitting nearby, “I blabbed, blabbed, and blabbed on and now it is super late! How about you go to my bathroom to wash your face and change while I make the couch comfier?” Aminata stood up and I followed her lead. 

“That would be nice,” I admitted with a stretch. After being shown where Aminata’s room was, I spent a few minutes in her bathroom washing up and changing into some nightclothes. When I walked back into the living room, Aminata had thrown some extra pillows and blankets on the couch to make it more comfortable and suited for my needs. I spent a few more minutes chatting with the witch before we wished each other a good night and Aminata parted ways with me. It didn’t take long for me to fall asleep and before I, unfortunately, knew it, I woke up in the darkness of Aminata’s living room to see that it was time for me to get up and get ready for school. 

_ Good thing my alarm has trained me otherwise without my phone I would have slept in and missed school,  _ I thought, my mind hazy and unable to process much. I groaned and blinked several times, trying to lift the heaviness from my eyes. I sat up as I rubbed my eyes. I reached one of my arms out and fumbled around in the darkness until I found the switch for the lamp that was nearby. I pushed myself off the couch with a yawn but shivered as soon as the soft blankets that had been covering my thin body slipped off of me. I quickly grabbed one and wrapped it around me like a cocoon. 

I was about to start getting ready but the sparkling dark sky that was on display beckoned me towards the slipping glass door that led out to the balcony. I pushed the door open and waddled out towards the ledge. I let out a sigh as I gazed at the horizon. Although the sun never rose in the Devildom, I felt the peace that a rising sun offered me whenever I got to witness the rare view. 

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” A voice spoke up and I quickly wiped my head towards the sound. On the balcony beside mine, Nickels was gazing at the same view I was. Wearing a dark sweater, the sneaky demon blended into the setting. If he hadn’t spoken up, I wondered how long it would have taken me to notice him. 

“Yeah, it sure is,” I smiled and shook my head in disbelief as I returned to the view. “You know, when Aminata said that you guys were hall neighbors, I didn’t think that she literally meant neighbors.” 

“I probably wouldn’t have gotten so close to her if it was otherwise,” Nickels admitted. “I like to come out here and gaze out at the view in the morning. I know it doesn’t matter what time I do it, but I guess I am just used to getting up early in the morning and watching the rising sun back in the human realm. It’s been five years since I left and I still can’t break this habit,” he chuckled. 

“I miss the sun,” I sighed. “I never went outside much, but when I did, I always liked the warmth of the sun on my skin.” 

“Me too,” Nickels wistfully agreed. “For now, I just have to settle with the Devildom sky.” Nickels pushed himself away from the balcony and slipped his hands into his jean pockets as he turned to look at me. “You need to leave for school soon, right?” I nodded. “I’ll give you a ride,” he offered, “So when you are ready, just knock on my door and I’ll take you to the RAD campus.”

“That’s really sweet of you, thanks,” I beamed, “But could you drop me off at the House of Lamentation? Call me paranoid, but I just want to make sure that nothing bad happened while I was gone. Anyway, the estate is really close to campus so I usually just walk.” 

“Sure, that’s fine,” Nickels replied as he started to turn around to head back inside. 

“Um, Nickels?” I called out and he turned back to face me. 

“Yes?”

“You seem like a smart guy,” I paused, hesitating, “And well, I was wondering what you would do if you were in my shoes regarding the Satan and Lucifer situation.” 

“So,” he casually smirked, “You want to help out and stop a family feud.” 

“I don’t really like conflict…” I admitted as I stared up at the dark sky. “I guess I just like to be the peacemaker- even when the problem has nothing to do with me.”

“Well,” Nickels mulled over the situation, “I think you should follow your heart but don’t consume yourself in the drama. You got good intentions kid, but you don’t want to make things worse. Maybe try getting the pair to talk to each other, but if that doesn’t work, then the only thing that can save their relationship is some good old bonding.” 

“But how will I accomplish that?” I mumbled to myself as I wrapped the blanket around me tighter.

“Hey, how about you try not to worry about it right now,” Nickels recommended to me with a shrug. “You got time to think about it.” With his final inputting advice, the demon stepped back inside his apartment. I went back inside as well and spent the next 30 minutes silently getting ready, careful to not disturb the sleeping Aminata who had yet to rise. Since my uniform was dirty, I had slipped on more casual clothing and wore my RAD jacket over it. I had to only hope that I wouldn’t get in trouble for being out of dress code. Next, I dug around the living room for a pen and some paper so that I could write a little note to Aminata thanking her for letting me stay over and letting her know that I was leaving to go to class. Once I finished writing my note and was ready, I met up with Nickels and he drove me back to the House of Lamentation.

“Hello…?” I called out as I entered the eerily silent house. Most of the lights were off so it seemed that no one had yet to awaken. I set my overnight bag down at the door and started to wander around, seeing if I could find anyone that was awake. As I approached the stairs that consisted of the portrait hall and held up to the bedrooms and kitchen, I started to hear echoing sobs. 

_ How odd… Who could be crying? This would definitely be creepy and make for a good horror game,  _ I nervously thought,  _ but this is reality so I better figure out what’s wrong.  _

“Mommy…” The voice whined as I started to walk up the stairs towards the source. 

“Oh Mammon,” I sighed and shook my head once my eyes laid on his sobbing form. The Avatar of Greed was dangling from his tied hands in the middle of the long staircase, gently swaying side to side. I dreaded the concept of how long he could have possibly been stuck hanging. 

“Ah, Claudia!” Mammon’s eyes lit up with happiness at the sight of me and stopped crying. “Pl-Please, you gotta help me!” He begged. “Lucifer made Beel string me up and hang me upside down!” I blinked in confusion. I felt bad for the demon and wanted to help him but Mammon’s plea didn’t make any sense. He was right-side up. 

“But you’re not upside down,” I slowly stated. 

“Beel agreed to at least hang me right-side-up in exchange for some gum.” 

“Well, now wasn’t that generous,” I sarcastically hummed. 

“Ugh,” Mammon attempted to struggle to no avail, “He’s too damn strong. These ropes are so tight that I can’t manage to break free no matter how hard I try…” Mammon looked down at me with a trembling lip, trying to gain sympathy points. “Please! You gotta help meeee!” 

“Mammon, you know that you don’t even have to ask me- of course, I’ll help you,” I sighed with a smile as I started to walk up the stairs, getting closer to the rough rope that was tied to the stair railing up above. 

“Oh, Claudia!” Mammon gleamed with pure joy. “I knew I could count on you!” He sobbed for a completely different reason now. “You’re the best…”

“But,” I narrowed my eyes as I stopped right in front of the knot and glared down at Mammon. “There’s something you need to do for me.” 

“O-Okay! I’m listenin’!” Mammon squirmed. “Whatever you want, just say it!” 

“Look,” I slumped over the railing, “Things aren’t good between Lucifer and Satan. Things are so bad that I didn’t even want to sleep in the same room with them last night. That has to change for everyone’s sanity. Mammon, if you agree to help me convince Satan and Lucifer to make up, then I’ll let you down. Easy, right?” 

“Satan and Lucifer… makin’ up?” Mammon snorted. “Now listen, those two have been at each other’s throats like this ever since Satan was born, you know? I mean,” Mammon started to rant, “I guess you could say it’s only Satan that hates Lucifer but it’s like Lucifer doesn’t give a shit about how Satan feels, which makes Satan even angrier, so-” 

“So you’re not going to help me then?” I asked with a raised eyebrow. “If that’s the case,” I yawned and started to continue up the stairs, “I guess I’ll just… leave…” I dramatically drew out my words and Mammon panicked. 

“W-Wait, no! Don’t leave!” He gasped and I stopped. 

“Yes? Is there something that you are going to say?” I innocently asked and stopped myself from smiling at my jest. 

“I’ll help you!” Mammon huffed. “I promise! Just get me DOWN from here!” Now that I knew that I would have the aid of Mammon, I moved back over to the thick knot tied to the stairs and started to undo it. Once it came undone and Mammon fell to the ground with a thud, I rushed downstairs to check on him and undo the restraints on his hands. 

“Aaah, excellent,” Mammon hissed like a gremlin and rubbed his sore wrists once he was freed. “My feet are back on the floor where they belong. Excellent…” 

“So…?” I took a step towards Mammon and clasped my hands behind my back. “Now you’re going to help me, right?” 

“ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT,” Mammon sighed and crossed his arms. “All I gotta do is help you get Satan and Lucifer to make up now, right? Hmm,” he leaned up against the wall and stared down at the stair flooring in thought. “Now, let’s see... Oh!” He sprung up and started to shake my shoulders as he let out a laugh. “I’ve got an AMAZING idea! I think I’m a genius!” 

“Oh, haha, yay…” I winched. I wasn’t as overjoyed as the now excited Mammon. Somehow- although I was crazy about the cute demon- I had a feeling that I was going to regret having Mammon help me out. I adored Mammon but bless his heart, he always knew how to end up in trouble. 

“Ta-daaa!” Mammon cheered as he spun around holding up a plastic CD case. “Check it out!” He stopped and shoved the case in my face. All I could see was a kawaii anime girl with bright pink hair wearing a schoolgirl uniform. “Dogi Maji Memorium! Or just Dog Maji for short!” 

“Uh, okay?” I looked around, unsure why we were in Levi’s room. It was the afternoon after class and as soon as class was dismissed, Mammon had dragged me to Levi’s room without so much of a reason as to why we were going there. 

“So, here’s the deal: In this game, anyone who registers to play is actually pulled into the game world for real,” Mammon explained as he pulled the game case away from my face, “So you’re really in there! Which means, if you die in the game, you die for real! And,” Mammon cheerfully went on, way too excited, “You have to win because if you don’t, you’ll never be able to leave the game world!” 

_ Uh, I love video games and don’t mind being a little adventurous but why the hell would anyone play this game? _

“Mammon!” Levi scowled as he turned around to face us in his gamer chair at his desk. “Would you please get your dirty hands OFF of my game?” He huffed as he reached out and snatched it from his older brother. “This JUST arrived from Akuzon yesterday! It’s still new and pristine! Also,” Levi continued as he set the case down on his desk, “I have to say I think the whole idea of trying to get Satan and Lucifer to make up is pretty crazy to begin with. Still, though, I don’t understand… What does that have to do with Dogi Maji?” 

“Good question,” I muttered as I crossed my arm and sat down on the beanbag that faced the TV in Levi’s room. 

“Pff, you really don’t get it, do ya?” Mammon shook his head while making a disappointed clicking noise with his tongue. “Well, think about it for a sec… If I register them in the game client, they’ll be pulled inside the game world, right? Since this is Satan and Lucifer we’re talkin’ about, at first they’ll be moainin’ and groanin’ about it but here’s the thing: like I said before, you’ve gotta win the game before you can leave the game world. So,” Mammon grinned, “They’ll have to work together toward a common goal. They may hate each other, but that'll force ‘em to bond some, ya see. Man!” Mammon pumped a fist up in victory. “Is it just me, or am I a for-real genius?! I’m pretty sure I am!” 

“Huh…” Levi nervously fiddled with the headphones around his neck. “You really think it’ll go that well? I dunno…”

“Hmm,” I furrow my brows in thought. “I suppose it’s not the worst idea ever.” I sighed and rubbed my temples. “I don’t like the idea of the two of them being stuck in a game forever, but I suppose I just have to take a risk if I want Satan and Lucifer to get along. Okay Mammon,” I nodded at him, “I’m in.”

“All right!” He nodded back at me and scouted next to Levi at his desk. He opened up the game case to the protesting of Levi, pulled out the disc, and slid it into the computer’s disc slot. It only took a few minutes for the game to fully download onto Levi’s computer and Mammon grabbed Levi’s mouse and clicked on the little heart icon that popped up on his screen. I moved over to the pair and stepped in between them to see what was going on. A register form popped up on the screen with the background of cherry blossom flowers falling from blooming trees behind it. Cheerful but soft music started to blast from the computer’s speakers. “Okay,” Mammon clicked his tongue together, “It’s time to register the two of them here in the game client.” Mammon looked like he was about to type something but paused and turned towards Levi. “Uh, how does this work?” 

“Ugh, FINE,” Levi rolled his eyes and snatched his mouse from Mammon. “Let me take over. You’ll never figure it out on your own. Let’s see,” Levi whistled as he started to type into the form. “Lucifer and Satan… There,” he turned to face us, “I’ve entered their names. They’re registered.” Levi turned back to his monitor with a dreamy sigh. “Understand just how badly I’ve been wanting to play this game, you cannot! Finally time, it is…!” Without any warning, Levi started typing again. “I’ll enter my name here… ‘Leviachan.’ Okay, done! Now, I’ll just add Claudia as well,” he hummed as he typed my name in. “There, registered and all set.” 

“Wait, I’m playing?-” “WHAT?” Mammon gasped while I was speaking. Mammon looked towards me with wide eyes. “HOLD ON! Claudia, are you really gonna play, too?”

“Uh,” I nervously looked at the computer screen, “No one told me anything about this…”

“Aww, whatcha talkin’ about?” Levi asked in a weird-ass accent. “‘Course yer gonna play. Yer the one who dun said ya wanted t’get Satan and Lucifer t’make up, arencha?”

“Are you a… pirate?” I asked with uncertainty. 

“Levi… That was horrible,” Mammon stressed, “I can’t even tell what kinda character you’re tryin’ to imitate anymore… But hey,” Mammon nudged his brother, “If Claudia is playin’, then so am I!”

“Whaaaat? Ugh,” Levi moaned as he slumped in his chair, “So you want to play too?” 

“Hey!” Mammon slammed a fist down on Levi’s desk. “You don’t gotta sound so upset about it! C’mon, let’s go! Hurry up and register me!”

“Mammon just wants to make sure nothing bad happens to me,” I smiled up at Mammon with admiration and then turned to Levi. “Please let him play, please,” I begged as I clasped my hands together in a pleading motion. 

“Fine,” Levi sighed, unable to say no to me. “If I really have to,” he whined as he typed something into the form. “Stupidmammon,” and done.” 

“Hey!” Mammon got all flustered. “Why’d ya tack on stupid?! Leave that out!” 

“Now I’ll adjust a few settings really quickly…” Levi ignored him while he messed around on his computer. 

“There, there stupidmammon,” I patted Mammon on the back. 

“Not you too, Claudia!” Mammon groaned and I giggled. 

“HEY,” Mammon placed a hand on Levi’s shoulder and shook it, “Change my name! I wanna be… um, ‘Mammon the Great, Avatar of Greed’!” 

“Okay, ready!” Levi cheered. “It’s time to enter the world of Dogi Maji!” Mammon kept on yelling as I watched Levi, as if it was almost in slow motion, pressed his finger down on the enter button. “And… start!” Everything warped around me and went dark for I was about to enter the world of Dogi Maji. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments, and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	41. Chapter 41: Do Demons get Stuck in Dating Sims?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia finds herself as the protagonist of a dating simulation and quickly gets upset, blowing up at the demon brothers with her. She starts to slowly repair the damage of her actions and realizes something very critical.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you want a Q&A at the end of this story with some of the characters? Let me know and I will deliver lovely readers! If not, then forgot I ever said anything~

I’ve played a few dating sims before, but I found myself having a hard time connecting to them. Why would all of these people be obsessed with one, boring protagonist that never stands up for themselves or does anything to actually make anyone fall in love with them? I never understood why there had to be so much drama and why the protagonist HAD to pick someone as their one true love. Why can’t they date multiple people or hell, date no one at all? 

_ I’ll never be in a situation where multiple people are pining over me anyway,  _ I often found myself thinking. Dating sims were a form of escapism from the sad and unromantic nature of reality. Yet… through the crazed logic of Devildom gaming, a dating sim became my new reality and I found myself asking a very different and difficult question when I ended up inside one:

_ Am I in love and have not realized it all this time?  _

“Welcome to  _ Dogi Maji Memorium _ , where all of your romantic dreams will come true!” The exposition explained while cheery music played in the background. “You are a young and hopeful high school student that everybody is watching and wants. Who will you form a relationship with? The cold bad boy? The adorkable tsundere? The best friend otaku? Or maybe even the jerk bookworm? It’s all up to you, Claudia! Make your romance desires come true in this realistic simulation!”

“Hmm?” I slowly raised my head from my desk and struggled to open my eyes as the bright sun shone in on my face from the window beside my typical protagonist's desk. 

_ Ugh, the sun is so bright- Wait!  _ I gasped, standing up and placing my hands on the window. I stared outside in shock like a kid overwhelmed in a candy shop. I looked like I was back in the human realm. Outside, there were girls running laps around the track and boys practicing soccer on the soccer field. The only thing that pulled me away from the glorious view was a confused noise that came behind me. I looked over to see a bewildered Mammon looking around. 

“Huh…?” He looked around and scratched his head. “...Whoaaaa!” He beamed with a grin. Instead of wearing his casual clothes or school uniform, Mammon had on a simple navy blue and white uniform. His white button-up shirt had a few buttons undone and his uniform jacket was wrapped around his waist. Everything seemed to pause in front of me as my vision paused on Mammon and a title popped up in front of him: -The adorkable tsundere, Stupidmammon- 

_ Fuck, what the-?  _ I had to stop myself from jumping back. I placed a hand on my startled heart as I moved away from my desk. 

“What’s goin’ on?” Stupidmammon asked as he turned to look at Levi who popped up beside him. “Are we inside the game now? Wait a minute!” Stupidmammon gasped. “Look at my name!” He dramatically pointed at himself. “You just HAD to tack on an insult, huh Levi?! Now I’m stuck with ‘Stupidmammon’!” 

“LMAOOOO XDDD!” Levi grinned and I blinked, having no idea how that physically came out of him. He had on a similar uniform but his white shirt was untucked and he had his jacket on. My vision paused on Levi and just like before, a title popped up: -The best friend otaku, Leviachan- 

“Seriously though,” Stupidmammon whined, “Why am I ‘Stupidmammon,’ but you’re ‘Leviachan’?! Why do You get the cute name, huh?!” Levi just laughed at his brother. 

“Let’s forget about the name for a second,” I slowly spoke up as I approached the pair. “Let’s focus on what’s going on here.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Stupidmammon huffed as he placed his hands on his hips. “Is this s’posed to be… a school? It looks totally different from RAD. And,” he looked down at himself and back up at what I was wearing, “What are we wearing?” I looked down at myself to see what Mammon was talking about and I was surprised to see that I had on a white button-up, a short navy blue shirt, and thigh-high stockings on. I looked like a stereotypical anime school girl. “I thought this was an RPG,” Stupidmammon admitted. “Aren’t games like this supposed to start in some village, or a castle, or out on a giant grassy plain or somethin’?” 

_ I think Mammon is about to be in for a rude awakening,  _ I nervously thought as I fiddled with my shirt. 

“Not necessarily,” Leviachan shook his head, “I mean, Dogi Maji is a school dating sim, after all! So, what did you expect?” 

“WHA?!” Stupidmammon looked like he was about to have a heart attack. 

“So my guess was right, I knew it. That intro explained it all,” I muttered to myself as I rubbed my temples. 

“One character is designated as the heroine,” Leviachan explained as he started to pace around the empty classroom we were in, “And you’ve got to work hard to increase your favorability score with her higher and higher. Then, in the end, you go up on the,” Leviachan lowered his voice to dramatically whisper, “Roof of Legend and profess your love to her. If she accepts you, you win.” 

“Oh no,” I gasped. 

“Oh yeah!” Leviachan brightened up, “About the Roof of Legend, supposedly if you admit you love someone up there on graduation day and become an official couple, then you’ll live happily ever after together.” 

“The roof?!” Stupidmammon scoffed but I was having a hard time listening. My cheeks felt like they were on fire and my heart rate was rapidly increasing. “THAT’S the big romantic spot in this game?! I thought you were s’posed to tell her you love her under a big old tree in the schoolyard! That’s how I heard it was supposed to go!” 

“Oh… no. Um,” Leviachan looked a little awkward and annoyed, “You’re thinking of another game. We’re playing Dogi Maji,” he stressed, “It’s, like, totally different. Oh,” he casually brought up, “I forgot to mention that I designated Claudia as the heroine.” 

“YOU DID WHAT?!” Stupodmammon yelled loud enough that I was sure all of the NPCs stopped what they were doing and listened. 

“You two,” I heard someone hiss as they slammed the classroom door open. I looked over to see Lucifer, well, at least someone that looked like Lucifer, standing in the doorway with murder in his eyes. His uniform was prim and proper. Not a thing about it was out of place. “So, you’re the ones behind this…” A title popped up in front of Lucifer: -The cold bad boy, Lucifer- 

“Yikes,” Stupidmammon jumped with a yelp, “He’s here!” Stupidmammon paused and mused up his face in thought. “...Hold on a minute. Right now Satan’s inside Lucifer, which means Lucifer is Satan, and Satan is Lucifer… Pff,” Stupidmammon causally leaned against the desk closest to him and smirked at Lucifer(?), who I was pretty sure was actually the real Lucifer. “What’s the big idea startlin’ me like that?” He playfully punched his brother’s arm. 

“Uh, Mammon…” I tried to warn him. 

“Step off, Satan!” Stupidmammon cackled. “Get Lucifer’s stupid face outta my personal space. Go on, shoo!”

“Uh, wrong,” Satan shook his head as he walked after Lucifer. He appeared as himself with his uniform jacket resting on his shoulders. “I’m Satan.” My vision froze on Satan and the final title popped up: -The jerk bookworm, Satan- 

“What?” Stupidmammon started to turn pale.

“It seems that while we’re in this world,” Satan explained, “The curse that switched out bodies is nullified.” 

“Mammon?” Lucifer smiled at his younger brother with gritted teeth. “What was that again about my stupid face?”

“Yikes!”

“I knew Mammon would live up to the name I made for him!” Leviachan laughed as he threw his head back. 

“Now then,” Lucifer seriously turned to gaze at me and I felt small against it. “How about you explain to me exactly what is going on here.” I knew Lucifer wasn’t just talking to me, but I felt like I had to explain what was going on. 

“You see-” I started to say but stopped when a generic-looking highschool boy poked his head in. 

“There you guys are!” He kindly smiled and walked in. “You must be introducing yourself to the new girl, huh?” He laughed and walked over to me. “Welcome to Doji Maji Memorium Academy, I’m John,” The NPC introduced himself to me. “Your name’s Claudia right?”

“Yes, that’s me… It’s nice to meet you, John.” I smiled, uncertain how to act. 

“That’s such a pretty name, well,” John placed his hands on his hips proudly, “I’m the Student Council president and I’m here to show you around. How about you follow me so that we can start our tour?” 

A text box popped up: Do you accept John’s offer? 

Yes. 

No. 

“Uh, sure…” I selected yes and started to follow John out of the classroom. I turned around and whispered, “Come on, follow me! I can explain during my ‘tour’.” So, while John explained some generic things to me about the limited generic places I could go in the school, Levi, Mammon, and I explained what was going on to Lucifer and Satan. My tour and our explanation ended outside along a pathway that led to one of the other buildings that made up the academy complex. 

“I hope you enjoyed the tour!” John beamed at me before looking at the pack of boys behind me. “It seems that you have already made some friends today so I’ll go ahead and let you go. If you ever have any questions for me, just let me know! You can find me in the Student Council President’s office. Goodbye!” With a wave, John hurried off. 

“Well, that was a nuisance,” Lucifer sighed as he sat down on a park bench that was nearby. “So,” he looked up at all of us with a frown, “Essentially we’re inside the world of a game that Levi brought on Akuzon and we can’t go back into the real world unless we win?” 

“And,” Satan joined in as he placed a hand on the bench and leaned up against it, “In order to win, you have to confess your love to the heroine up on the Roof of Legend, and she has to accept you? Do I have that right?” 

“Yep!” Leviachan nodded his head and gestured at me. “I went ahead and made Claudia the heroine.”

“Uh, hi,” I awkwardly waved. 

“So raise your intimacy source with Claudia, you must” Leviachan cheered in his Yoda voice, “And achieve the happy ending, yes!” 

“No! No! No!” Stupidmammon groaned as he stomped a foot down. “I don’t get it! Why’d ya make Claudia the heroine?!” 

“What do you mean?” Leviachan blankly asked. “Because it seemed like it’d be fun…?” Both Lucifer and Satan looked like this dilemma was anything but fun; their expressions were serious and determined. 

“Oh,” Stupidmammon noticed the looks on his brothers’ faces and turned to look at them. “Yeah,” he sighed, “I know what you two are thinkin’ and you’re right. Sorry you two,” Stupidmammon gloomily yet humbly apologized. “I apologize for Levi here, too. I mean,” he shook his head, “This is ridiculous and crazy. No way you two want any part of this stupid plan, right? So!” Mammon clapped his hands together. “You can just leave things to Mammon! I’ll take care of everything!” 

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“I’ll raise my favorability score with Claudia lickety-split,” Stupidmammon put an arm around my shoulder as he spoke, “Profess my love, and win this game before you even know what hit you! So you guys don’t have to do a thing. Nope, nothin’ at all. You’know,” he cleared his throat, “Just hang out and do whatever…” 

“Hey!” I frowned and narrowed my eyes. “It’s my decision because I’m the main chara-” 

“You know what this means, right Lucifer?” Satan cast a smirk down at Lucifer. “It’s a competition,” he stressed, “To see which of us can get the happy ending, you or me.”

“That goes without saying,” Lucifer raised an eyebrow at Satan, “And I highly doubt I’d actually lose to the likes of you, Satan.” 

“Pff,” Leviachan jumped in on the conversation. “You guys are hilarious, looool! Aren’t you forgetting about someone? You really think you can beat ME? Lololol, ROTFLMAO XDDD.”

“HEY!” Stupidmammon jumped in as he removed his arm from me. “Why do you all wanna win so badly all of a sudden, huh?!” 

“Because I WON’T lose to the likes of him!” Both Satan and Lucifer shouted at the same time. 

“And I guess I just want to win the game?” Leviachan shrugged. “You know, to have a 100% perfect run? It’s MY game, after all,” Leviachan claimed, “I’m not about to let someone ELSE experience the very best part of it in my place. That’s like, crazy.” 

“Grrr, dammit!” Stupidmammon hissed. “Well, don’t forget about ME…!” Stupidmammon sharply turned to face me and placed his hands on my shoulders. “Listen up, Claudia!” He basically shouted. “I’m gonna tell you I love you and you’re gonna choose ME! Okay? It’s totally gonna happen!”

“Claudia," Satan pushed Mammon away, “I’m not going to make you fall for me. No,” he shook his head with a smug smirk, “You’re going to fall for me naturally, as a matter of course.”

“Claudia is MY princess!” Leviachan shouted. 

“We all know Claudia is going to choose me,” Lucifer stated as he placed a hand on my back and stood beside me, “Isn’t that right? Prepare yourself, Claudia,” he purred. 

“No, Claudia would never-” “Hey, don’t say that-” “You sound like Asmo-” Everyone started shouting and I covered my ears. My heart was beating so fast and my head was ringing with such a harsh headache that I thought I was going to be sick. I hated this, I HATED this! This was too much to handle and I just needed space but no one was giving me space. I needed space! I needed everyone to fucking shut up! 

“ENOUGH!” I threw my hands up in the air, not able to handle it anymore. “All of you fuckheads seem to forget that I am a REAL person,” I shouted much to the demon brothers’ surprise as I backed away from them. “I’m not a competition! I’m not some prize to win! I. Am. A. Real. Person.” I shook my head with disgust. “Satan and Lucifer don’t even like me anyway, god damn. I’m just so peppy girl normie to Levi!” I drew my attention to the sky and yelled at it. “Mammon either likes me or hates me! I don’t know! I-” I covered my face. “I’m so tired of being stuck here,” my voice cracked. “Are you my friends or am I just some toy?” I almost whispered. “I miss being home so, so much, and I am fucking tired of being terrorized by weird dreams that don’t make sense!” My voice started to rise and I started to cry. “One day I love it in the Devildom and everything is going right and the next day it isn’t. I don’t understand anything or know what is going on in my life and that is so, so scary. I don’t understand how my life has ended up like this,” I removed my hands from my face and stared blankly at the group of shocked demons, “But I certainly know that none of you understand me!” I sobbed and turned around. I started to run. I didn’t know where I was going or where this game would let me go, but I had to run and get as far away as I could. I needed to be somewhere quiet. I needed somewhere to escape. 

I don’t know if anyone tried to follow me or how long I ran, but I eventually ended up hiding behind a white locked up shed that was used to store athletic equipment or something. 

_ I can’t believe I blew up like that,  _ I thought as I pressed my back against the woodshed and slipped to the ground. I hung my head low, feeling extremely tired.  _ I’m so embarrassed. I just exploded and spat out everything that was bothering me. Good thing I didn’t say anything about Belphegor.  _ I sniffed and rubbed my nose. My heartbeat was starting to slow but I still felt anxiety, sadness, and rage twisting my insides up into a painful mess.  _ I wonder if I can take a nap in this simulation?  _ I found myself thinking.  _ I can feel the dirt on my hands, the sun on my skin, and the gentle breeze so…  _ I closed my eyes and curled up into a ball.  _ I really hope this game lets me take a nap. Maybe when I walk up, everything will be so much better…  _

The game did allow me to rest, but it felt more like a transition in the plot rather than an actually restful nap. When I woke it, it was to the sound of a bell. 

“There you are!” I opened my eyes to see a worried John standing over me. “Thank goodness I found you! Here, take my hand.” He held out his hand to me and I silently grabbed it and allowed him to pull me up. “The lunch break is over so you should really head to class. You don’t want to be late on your first day.” I nodded but didn’t meet his eyes, still rather upset about what happened earlier. “I heard what happened,” John quietly admitted, “You got into a fight with the guys that were showing you around over a misunderstanding.” 

“You could say that,” I quietly nodded, not looking up. “Or you could say that I finally gave those assholes what they deserved.” I crossed my arms. I didn’t really think that Satan, Lucifer, Levi, and Mammon were jerks. I had grown fond of them, just like I had with Beel and Asmo, and maybe even Belphegor. I was just mad and needed someone to blame for my problems. 

“Well, I think that no good could come out of having bad blood with your friends. I think that you are sorry about what happened and I'm sure that they are too,” John gave me a generic smile, “So don’t let that put you down, okay?” He placed a hand on my shoulder. “You can change things around for the better.” 

“You’re sickeningly optimistic and cheerful, but thank you,” I told John as I rubbed my eyes. “You’re right,” I tried to smile. “I’ll make things better.” I started to walk off but paused and turned back to face John. “You’re not half bad for an NPC.” 

“What’s an NPC?” I laughed and shook my head at John’s unawareness as I turned back and started to hurry back to whatever generic class I had to go to. 

“So then,” My nasally sounding teacher explained as they wrote on the board, “This is a descriptive phrase. As for what it’s describing, you’ll find that here in the next paragraph…” I looked down at the textbook in front of me and yawned. I had ended up being late for my afternoon class after all and faced a minor scolding from my new teacher. I normally would have been modified if that had happened in real life, but this was a game so I didn’t (kinda) care. Mammon was in my class, but the moment I had walked in, he was asleep so he did not realize it when I sat next to him in the only empty seat that was available in class. How convenient.

“Oh, money, baby,” Stupidmammon mumbled in his sleep as he drooled on his desk. I couldn’t help but look over and giggle at the sleeping demon. “I loooove you…” 

_ Wow, wish he would say that about me,  _ I found myself wishing. 

“So,” our teacher turned around to face us with his arms crossed, “I think I’ll have one of you tell me the answer to the next question…” 

“Aww,” Stupidmammon grinned in his sleep, “You’re makin’ me blush.” 

“Stupidmammon!” The teacher shouted and the class snickered. “Mmm?” Stupidmammon’s head shot up and he looked around, tired. “What?” 

“What is the answer to question number four in your textbook?” The teacher sternly asked. Stupidmammon didn’t have his textbook open, hell, he didn’t even have it on his desk. 

“Qu-Question… uh, four?” Stupidmammon started to look around for his textbook in a panic. “Uh, let’s see, um… that would be, uh…” 

“Hey,” I nudged Stupidmammon so that he would notice me beside him. “It's an adjectival clause,” I whispered. For some reason, I had actually been paying attention to the teacher’s lecture. I guess the student in me couldn’t handle not listening. 

“Claudia you-” Stupidmammon’s eyes went wide at the sight of me. 

“Just answer the question,” I hissed. 

“Uh, um,” Stupidmammon turned to face the teacher, “An adjectival clause, I think?” 

“Correct,” The teacher turned back to the board and with amusement, said “Were you listening to my lecture in your sleep? Well, you’re a demon of many talents, I see.” 

“That was close,” Stupidmammon yawned. He turned to look at me with wide eyes. “I only survived because of you! Hehe, thanks, Claudia!” He beamed and I felt myself blush.

“+5 Intimacy Up!” Popped up in front of us. 

“Wait, what?” I quietly gasped, having no idea how that happened. 

“Hm?” Stupidmammon seemed just as confused as I was. “Did seein’ the look on my face just now make you happy?” He asked me before grinning with a blush. “Well, in that case, look all you want..! And so you know,” he shyly admitted, “You’re the only person I’d ever say that to, understand?” 

“G-Gotcha,” I replied as Stupidmammon turned back to look at the front of the room with a bored expression. “Mammon,” I whispered and reached out to place my hand on his desk. He turned back to face me. “I am so sorry about what I said earlier. I really am,” I stressed. “I’ve had a lot on my plate lately and I just exploded earlier because everything was getting really crazy. I know you care me Mammon, even if you act like you don’t at times, and I want you to let you know that-” 

“Miss. Claudia!” The teacher shouted at me and I removed my hand from Stupidmammon’s desk and straightened up. “This is not a social period, this is an English class! Please pay attention!” 

“Yes sir!” I vigorously nodded my head and when the teacher turned back to face the board, I snuck a glance at Mammon. He gave me a small smile. 

“Yeah, I forgive ya... I didn’t mean to treat you like an object. You’re a special human, you know that. You’re like a treasure. But,” Stupidmammon blushed, turned away, and crossed his arms to put his head down for another nap, “Don’t let it go to that big, smart head of yours!” 

“Hehe, I won’t… maybe.” 

“Room 2B, room 2B,” I mumbled as I hurried down the hall carrying a stack of textbooks that was so tall that I was having a hard time seeing what was in front of me. One of the teachers had asked me to deliver some textbooks to one of the neighboring classrooms and I saw no issue in helping so I was currently scanning the signs by the doors to find it. I was stopped in my tracks when I bumped into somebody. 

“Oh!” I gasped as I turned to look to see that I had bumped into Satan who had his back turned to me. He curiously turned around and smiled when he saw me. 

“I was wondering who’d bumped into me,” Satan admitted as he turned around to face me, “So it’s you, Claudia. If you walk around carrying so much stuff in your arms like that, you can’t see where you’re going, can you? What’s going on? Where are you going with all of that?” 

“Oh, a teacher just asked me to deliver these textbooks to a class, that’s all,” I replied. 

“Those are the teaching materials for the next class?” Satan asked as he studied the stack. “You’re too nice, Claudia,” he sighed, “Running errands for someone like that.”

“Oh, I don’t know if nice is the right word for me,” I humbly replied. 

“Well,” he cleared his throat and I thought I saw him blush, “I guess I’m going to have to help you, aren’t I? Here,” He started to take books from the top of the stack, “Let me carry half of what you’ve got there.” 

“Oh, thank you, I really appreciate that,” I admitted and tried not to meet eyes with Satan, still very embarrassed about my blowup. 

“+5 Intimacy Up!” Popped up in front of us much as it had between Mammon and me. 

“Eh, it’s nothing,” he shrugged with his newfound load, “I’m only carrying some stuff for you… I mean,” he sighed at me, “You looked like you were going to end up getting into an accident like that.” We started to walk down the hall together, side by side. “It’s all well and good to work hard and push yourself, but every once in a while, you should call on me to help you… But,” he paused to turn towards me and I looked up at him, also stopping my pace, “Make sure you ask me, not anyone else, all right?” He was blushing and I found this odd. 

_ Surely Satan is putting on a show because he wants to win. How annoying. _

“Satan,” I shook my head as I started to walk ahead, “I know this is a game to you but you don’t need to try so hard. I already expressed my distaste about that- But,” I turned around to face him, “I am sorry. I screamed at everyone for no good reason. I am sorry that you had to see me lose my cool.” 

“But I find myself liking you more because of it,” Satan called out as he hurried to match up to my pace. “I thought you were a spineless human with no bite. I’m glad to see that I’m wrong.” 

“Ugh,” I laughed as I rolled my eyes, “I think you just liked the dumbstruck look on Lucifer’s face while I was throwing a fit.” 

“It was an added bonus,” Satan admitted. 

Time was a funny thing in  _ Dogi Maji Memorium _ , and I found that days bled into each other with no evenings, houses, or activities outside of school. Each day was introduced to me by a loading screen that counted down the days to the end of the week where I was supposed to accept a love proposal and claim a lover during the graduation ceremony. Although I was only in a game, I was actually fretting about my upcoming love proposals.

_ I don’t think I can actually pick someone,  _ I found myself thinking as I stared off into space at a spot on the ground. I had been dragged outside by Leviachan during our lunch break and he had left me sitting down on a picnic blanket in the school’s courtyard while he ran inside to get something. 

_ I don’t know if my heart can even handle four love confessions in a row…  _

“Ta-daa!” Leviathan cheered as he walked over to me carrying a bento box and two pairs of chopsticks. I looked up and smiled at him as he sat down beside me. “Look at what we have here!” Leviathan really hammed it up as he set down the bento box and opened it. “It’s a special homemade bento box courtesy of Leviachan! Yaaaay! So, what do you think?” Leviathan’s eyes sparkled as he asked me. “Pretty great, huh?! It’s Ruri-chan themed!” He nerded out as he started to pull out the layers. “And what’s more, I used a super extravagant three-layer bento box!” 

“Wow,” I had to admit, that Levi did put a lot of work into the bento box. It was very cute and had a femmie touch to it. “It’s really pretty.” 

“But it’s more than just pretty!” Leviachan exclaimed as he picked up a sushi roll with his chopsticks. “I’m confident that you’ll think it tastes amazing, too! Anyway, eat as much as you want, you should. Hold back, you should not-” Leviachan took a bite out of the roll on his chopsticks and once he was done eating it, he gasped. “Oh!” An idea struck him. “In fact, let me feed it to you!” He started to raise his hand with his chopsticks up to my face. 

“Feed me?!” I almost yelled as I involuntarily leaned back in shock. 

“Yeah! So, what do you want to eat first? Should we start with the Japanese omelet?” Leivachan offered. He picked up some of the omelet with his chopstick and held it out for me to eat. “Here you go, open wide…” I slowly reached out and ate it, my face bright red. 

“You’re so cheesy,” I mumbled with a full mouth but despite my words, my intimacy source went up for Leviachan. 

“Was it good?” Levi asked with wide eyes and when I nodded he seemed pleased. “All right, next you should try the fried shrimp! Cast a magic love charm on it, I will!”

“Oh god, Levi wa-” 

“I’ll do it just for you Claudia because you’re special!” Leviachan almost seemed to purr and I got more embarrassed. “Abracadabra!” He chanted as he picked up a piece of fried shrimp. “Make my lady Claudia’s meal super scrumptious with an extra dose of love!”

“Wait, wait!” I freaked out and quickly stood up. “I can’t take it anymore! This is so weird,” I groaned. “I know you don’t like me like that so stop it. I said so myself, didn’t I? I’m just some normie in your eyes,” I felt myself getting sad and my shoulders slumped, “You would never like me.” 

“B-But it’s the other way around,” Leviachan squeaked out. “I’m just some gross otaku in your eyes.” 

“But that’s not true!” I huffed and sat back down. “I’ve never said that Levi- wait…” I covered my face with my hands as I laughed. “But you never said that you didn’t like me, so aren’t we just a bunch of fools with a bunch of ideas that aren’t true?” I pulled my hands away from my face and smiled at Leviachan. “Levi…” To his surprise, I hugged him and let our embrace linger. “I know you are trying really hard but don't. It’s cringy,” I snorted, “And I like your usual nerdy self.” When I pulled away from Leviachan, he looked like he was malfunctioning. “How about we eat and you don’t try to feed me?” I playfully offered as I plucked the fried shrimp from his chopsticks. “Controlling the situation is more of my style and not yours,” I plopped the shrimp piece into my mouth. 

After my interaction with Levi, I found myself wondering where Lucifer was. I haven't seen him in any classes or along the halls so against my better judgment, I found myself actively seeking out Lucifer around the few places the game allowed me. 

“Mammon,” I called attention to the Avatar of Greed during one of our classes, “Have you seen Lucifer? Do you know where he is?” 

“Wha, Lucifer?” He snorted with a shrug. “I dunno. Actually, I’m happy he’s out of my sight, y’know?”

“But Mammon,” I fiddled with my hands, restless, “I’m worried.”

“Well, now that you meant it, I feel like I saw him heading up the stairs to the roofer earlier,” Stupidmammon admitted. 

“Oh, really?” I stood up a little too eagerly and looked around at the NPC classmates that were staring at me. “Tell the teacher I’m going to use the bathroom when she walks inside,” I whispered before hurrying out of the classroom and towards the stairs that led up to the roof. 

I don’t know what I expected but I certainly didn’t expect to find Lucifer laying on his back on a bench when I made it up to the roof. He seemed to be napping and looked so peaceful. I carefully approached him, not wanting to wake him if he was truly asleep. 

“Oh,” Lucifer sat up and smiled at me as I walked over. “I was wondering who’d come up here. So, it’s you.” He sat up and moved over so there was a spot for me. I sat beside him, staring out at the generic horizon dotted with office buildings and houses. 

“It’s so odd to see you do nothing,” I admitted. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen it before.”

“What? You think it’s odd that I’d skip class and come up to the roof to take a nap?” Lucifer asked with amusement. “Well, there’s no Diavolo here in this world. I can do whatever I want without worrying about being a disgrace to him in any way… It’s a real weight off my shoulders,” he eventually admitted. 

“I can’t imagine the stress that you put yourself under,” I softly replied. “It’s nice to see you relax.” Without my control, my intimacy for Lucifer went up.

“What?” Lucifer frowned. “Your intimacy with me went up just because of what I just said? Honestly,” he sighed and shook his head, “I don’t really understand how this system works…” 

“You’re just as lost as I am,” I laughed. 

“Mm, well,” he seemed to move closer to me, “You had better not tell Diavolo that I skipped class here in this world.” 

“Oh, but it’s so tempting,” I teased. “I won’t,” I promised as I looked over at Lucifer, “As long as you can forgive me for acting like such a child earlier. I’m so embarrassed.” 

“Hmm, well, as much as I don’t like to admit it, even the best of us have the worst moments. Yet, hm, I still find something curious.” 

“What’s that?” I asked as we both looked out into the distance. 

“Your dreams” Lucifer elaborated. “Should I be concerned? If you are not getting sleep…” 

“Oh, that? Don’t worry about that. They’re fine, really,” I lied. “All that we should worry about right now is this game.” 

_ And the fact that I think I am in love.  _

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments, and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	42. Chapter 42: Do Demons Fight for Their Lives?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia finds herself troubled at the situation she is in. She notices that Satan is also having a hard time and takes a moment to comfort him and cheer him up. Later, the dating sim ends in a rather unpredictable manner that no one could see coming.

The setting sun was like a blessing from a heaven I didn’t believe in. I was entranced by the stunning melting colors swirling together in perfect harmony. I stared out of the window in the same seat that I had woken up in at the beginning of  _ Dogi Maji Memorium _ with the rest of my companions sitting in the middle of the classroom. I didn’t even mean to sit in the generic protagonist seat, but once I realized, I was too tired and troubled to care. 

_ I’m in love, _ my thoughts, barely a whisper, reminded me. My body became engulfed with a heat I did not believe was possible. I felt like I was on fire, and it kinda felt good. I just wanted Lucifer to wrap those gloved hands of his around my waist. I wanted Mammon to bring me so close so that I could smell his expensive cologne. I wanted Levi to get flustered under my gentle touch. I wanted Satan to give me a smirk that stripped me down to my vulnerabilities. I wanted Asmo to place butterfly kisses all over my hand while he mumbled praises to me. I wanted Beel to pull me into a loving embrace and I-

_ I want to not be such a horny fucker!  _ I groaned and placed the side of my face on the desk to where I had a sideways view of the brothers who were talking. 

“So, tomorrow’s finally the big day,” Satan brought up, looking just as dreadful as me. 

“Graduation day,” Lucifer declared, seeming uncertain, “When we have to profess our love to the heroine…”

“MAN!” Stupidmammon groaned as he threw his head back in the seat he was sitting in. “I’m worn out… I mean, seriously,” he threw his hands up in annoyance, “Are games s’posed to be this tiring?!” He adjusted his posture and fidgeted. “My nerves are all frazzled- this hasn’t been any fun at all, y’know?” I couldn’t help but want to agree with Stupidmammon. 

“Putting a lot of time and effort into a game is a good thing!” Leviachan sternly snapped. “Actually,” he started to blab, “If the game was any less difficult, had less content, or had fewer scenes, it wouldn’t be worth playing. Although,” He seemed to awkwardly tense up, “This time I have to say that even I’m a bit, um…” Leviachan’s voice faded off. 

“You talk big, but you’re totally beat, aren’t ya?” Mammon snorted. 

“Think of any more embarrassing lies, I cannot…” Leviachan whispered in his Yoda voice. 

“Embarrassing lines?” Satan seemed to roll his eyes at Leviachan’s statement. “No, just be honest and call them what they are. What you really mean is that you can’t think of any more cliche, over-the-top sweet lines.” 

“Yep,” Stupidmammon cheerfully piped in, “And after tomorrow, we’ll never have to again!” I sighed, gritted my teeth together, and rolled over to look at the sunset again. 

“So, what’s the plan for tomorrow?” I heard Satan ask. 

“Call Claudia up to the roof after the graduation ceremony each of us will, at different times,” Levi replied, still doing his impersonation. 

“So then,” Stupidmammon jumped in, “We all profess our love, and the one who’s chosen wins.” 

_ That’s the hard part,  _ I wanted to scream,  _ Choosing!  _ I sighed as I stood up in my seat. The room was eerily quiet and when I looked over to my right, I saw why. All of the brothers were looking at me, seeing if they could get anything from me. It’s almost as if they stared into my eyes long enough, they could get all of their desired questions answered. 

“Claudia,” Lucifer was the first to speak up, “No matter who you choose, you shouldn’t have any regrets about it.” I found myself picking at my nails, wanting a distraction. “In the end, this is only a game, after all.”

“Uhuh,” I gulped. 

“So,” Lucifer stood up and blessed me with a calming smile that just made me more flustered, “Relax and pick whomever you’d like.” 

“Lucifer,” Stupidmammon nudged Lucifer’s arm, “You’re bein’ weirdly nice to Claudia. What gives?” 

_ No shit, great question Mammon,  _ I thought. Usually, my interactions with Lucifer consisted of him intimidating me, threatening my life, or treating me like a child. Since he switched bodies with Satan things had seemed… different. The biggest change had been in the dating sim but I assumed he just wanted to win. Smug asshole. 

“I want to get this idiotic game over with as soon as possible so we can get back to the real world,” Lucifer hissed down at his brother. 

“You SAY that, sure,” Leviachan stressed, “But perhaps it’s all part of your plan to raise your intimacy score?” 

“Think whatever you want,” Lucifer shook his head, defeated looking. Unsure what to feel, I felt my eyes slip over to Satan who seemed just as emotionally lost as I was. 

When our little team meeting ended, I found myself drifting towards Satan. I followed him down a school hallway that stretched to the pixelated void of the game and when I was certain that we were the only two around, I called out his name. Satan turned around, surprised. 

“...Claudia.”

“Hey,” I quietly greeted him as I walked over to his side. 

“Do you have a second?”

“Of course,” I looked up at Satan with concern, “What’s up?” Satan stared down at the tile floor for a moment, frowning. 

“I,” he sighed, “Feel bad, and I’m sorry.” 

“About what?” I slowly asked with a raised eyebrow. 

“Lucifer and I are the reason you got caught up in all of this weird business,” Satan explained, “And before we go back to the real world, I just wanted to apologize for that.” I felt a smile form on my face from Satan’s apology. “Well,” He gave me a little wave and started to walk off, “See ya-” 

“Oh, wait!” I called out in surprise at my own actions as I grabbed Satan’s shirt sleeve. He turned around, his attention all mine. “Satan I…” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before speaking. “I just want to let you know that you don’t have to force yourself to like someone you don’t.” I smiled up at Satan with reassurance. I felt a pit form in my chest and I felt my eyes water. “And! Lucifer doesn’t see you as a child as much as you think and believe!” I blurted. I lowered my arm, letting go of Satan’s jacket. “Lucifer is just an idiot that only wants to look good in front of Diavolo as his No. 2. It’s a lot of stress on him so he says a lot of things that he doesn’t really mean.” Satan stared at me blankly. 

“...Pff, what do you know, human?” 

I felt my stomach drop and my knees shake in embarrassment and horror. 

“Hehehe,” Satan grinned, “I’m kidding.” 

“Ugh!” I laughed and playfully punched him in the arm. “Never again!”

“Sorry, I just wanted to say that,” Satan jested. “So,” he cleared his throat, “You’re saying Lucifer doesn’t think of me as a child? He only acts like that because he doesn’t want Diavolo to think less of him? Hm,” He turned to look out one of the hallway windows, “I can’t say I agree with you there, personally, but even so…” He turned to look at me. “You also said that I don’t need to force myself to like someone I don’t like. That’s a refreshing point of view,” Satan admitted, “You’re the first person who’s ever said anything like that to me. Hmph, and here you are, just a human,” he hummed thoughtfully. “Thanks.”

“Oh don’t thank me,” I beamed, “I’m just looking out for you. It’s the only thing that feels right.” I blushed as I looked up at Satan’s beautiful face that was basking in the light from the sunset. 

_ Tomorrow’s the last day of this strange game that almost feels like a dream. I don’t know who I’ll pick, but as long as I follow my heart, then I will be okay!  _

I parted from Satan feeling empowered with wisdom that I was clutching to my heart. Of course, I still had no idea at that point what would happen on graduation day. I quickly learned that it was beyond anything I could have possibly guessed…

“I really appreciate your help with the last-minute arrangements of graduation,” John beamed at me as we walked down the hall side by side. “Usually my vice president would help me with this, but he didn’t show up today and I can’t get a hold of him, isn’t that strange?”

“Mhm,” I hummed, far too distracted to listen. 

“Well no matter,” John cheerfully cheered, “I’m sure he is just sick and will show up later today! Nobody wants to miss their graduation! It’s a life-changing and sometimes deadly day…”

“Wait, what?” I tensed up, picking up ‘deadly’ in John’s words. 

“What? I said it’s a life-changing and sometimes daring day,” John innocently replied. 

“O-Oh…” I relaxed a little. “..You sure..?” Before John could speak, we heard a blood-curdling scream from down the hall. All of the students who were preparing the last minute decorations on their festival stalls paused and looked towards its direction. 

“What was that?” “Is someone hurt?” All of the NPCs started to mutter. 

“Um, John,” I felt the panic rise in my voice as I backed away from the sound. “What the fuck was that?” 

“I’m not sure…” I nervously looked around and saw myself look outside a window. The sky was getting dark with thick clouds and outside the school gate that connected to fencing the wrapped around the entire school complex were dark and twisted figures banging away at the gate. It took me a while to realize that they were zombies, ghouls, werewolves, vampires, and other horrible creatures dripping with splattered and fresh blood. 

“John, John!” I gasped in horror as I reached over and shook his shoulders before pointing out towards the view. “Look! Look! What is going on? Is that a game bug? Am I going to die?” 

“I don’t know, but we need to get out of here before anything bad happens!” John stressed to me. “I’ll protect y-”

Suddenly, an ugly scratching sound and the gurgle of wet groans were heard from the other side of the hallway. Students from that end came rushing towards ours like madmen, pushing each other out of the way and tramping each other. 

“Come on!” John yelled over the chaos and grabbed my arm. We took off running and I shifted my glance from behind us to see a herd of zombies devouring all the living flesh insight. A large boom from the other side of the campus went off. It was so powerful that the floor beneath us shook from its might. A large bundle of fiery smoke could be seen coming from a neighboring building. Down below, the school’s gate crashed to the ground and a roaring hoard of beasts entered the school grounds. 

“We’ve got to get to the gym,” John explained, having to yell to be heard over the screams. “That’s the only place that has weapons that we can use to defend ourselves.”

“Look out!” I hollered as stopped in my tracks as a gargoyle crashed through the windows and walls in front of us.

“Shoot!” John hissed as he wildly looked around. He spotted the classroom beside us. “Go in there!” John pointed towards the door next to us. “This is a lab room so there should be a door on the other end of the classroom that can lead you to a different hallway!”

“Well, what are you going to do?” I demanded an answer. 

“I’m going to distract him!” John pointed at the growling gargoyle that was approaching us. 

“Are you craz-” I started to ask as John opened the classroom door and pushed me inside. The classroom was an inner building one so it had no windows to brighten its interior blandness. The only light came from the slim windows on the door behind that I just used and the one that mirrored it on the other end of the classroom. I started to rush towards it but was violently stopped when I felt two arms reach for me and wrap around me, pulling me closer. I gasped and was too fearful to scream; all of the air from my lungs seemed to be sucked from me and I knew that my fate was to die in a stupid video game that had suddenly taken a dramatic turn. 

“It’s me, it’s me,” the person whispered and I relaxed. 

“God, Satan,” I quietly gasped as he let go of me and turned around to see his silhouette in the darkness. “I thought I was about to become a zombie’s next meal.” I winched as I heard another pained scream. 

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” he quietly explained, “I acted in a panic. Well,” he sighed, “It looks like this game has taken quite an unpredictable turn. The only question is, what are we supposed to do?” 

“One of the game’s NPCs, John, told me to go to the gym,” I explained, “Apparently there are weapons there. Hopefully, after we get there, we can find the others.” 

“Good idea,” I could see Satan nod in the darkness, “Looks like that’s our only option.” Now that we had met up, Satan and I formed a team together. Using our wits and stealth, we moved through the deadly battleground of a school together. I didn’t think we could do it, but we made it outside the building we were in and had the gym locked within our sights. 

“All we have to do is make a run for it,” Satan explained, a little on edge as we stared out at the gym building that lingered in the distance. It would be easy enough if we could prevent ourselves from becoming victims of the zombies that were wandering the school courtyard. 

“Oh gosh, oh gosh,” I gasped for air as I hugged my arms in comfort.

“Hey,” Satan placed a hand on my shoulder and seriously stared into my eyes with his emerald ones. “We got this.”

_ I sure hope we got this… otherwise I won’t live to see another day.  _

Emptying my mind of any hesitations, I started to run beside Satan. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as we dodged the undead army of creatures that were in our path. 

“Finally!” I gasped as we stumbled into the gym and slammed the door behind us. 

“It’s about time the two of you showed up.” Standing in front of us were Stupidmammon, Leviachan, and Lucifer. Behind them was a pile of weapons that Stupidmammon was digging through. Leviachan was basically hyperventilating, but I didn’t think it was out of fear and Lucifer was looking at me and Satan. He was one who had spoken up, and in his hands, he held a rifle. 

“What do you mean it’s about time?” Satan asked with a sigh as we walked over to the other brothers. 

“Well, we didn’t want to go looking for all of you when you could have been dead, duh,” Leviachan blabbed. “Still though, this is TOTALLY EXCITING, isn’t it? I mean, who would've thought that what looked like a simple dating sim would have this crazy twist at the end? Not to mention how totally bloody it is! OMG, this is so EPIC!” He squealed. 

“Hey!” Stupidmammon looked up from the pile and stood up holding a spiked bat. “Don’t sound so happy, Levi!”

“Especially considering the fact that we can actually die in this game!” I brought up and let out a noise in exasperation as I ran a hand through my dark hair. “I’m glad to see that you guys are okay,” I admitted with a weak smile, “But now we have to figure out how the hell we need to get out of here.” A violent rapping was heard on the gym door Satan and I entered from. We all seemed to gasp and Lucifer aimed his rifle at the door. “Wait,” I hissed at Lucifer, “It could actually be a person.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Lucifer replied coldly, not leaving his aim from the door, “We are the only real people in this game.” 

“Uh, hey guys!” A voice spoke up on the other side. “It’s me, John, you know, the Student Body President? Can I come inside?” 

“See?” I glared at Lucifer before taking a step towards the door but not too close. “Come inside, John.” Lucifer mumbled something about how ridiculous it was to consider an NPC a person but I ignored him. The door creaked open and John stumbled in with a large, wet bloodstain along his uniform shirt. 

“Oh my gosh,” I rushed towards him as soon as he closed the door behind him, “What happened?!” 

“Well,” He weakly replied, “That gargoyle really didn’t like me I guess!” John let out a pained laugh. “I ended up drawing attention away from you, Claudia. That’s all that matters.” John looked out to the brothers. “Good, all of you are here,” He nodded towards them. “Try to grab all the weapons you can. We have to fight our way up to the roof.” 

“Why the hell would we go to the roof, huh?!” Stupidmammon asked with suspicion. “Won’t we get trapped there?” 

“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” Satan admitted while he spoke his head in disbelief, “But I actually agree with Mammon for once.” 

“Thank you- HEY!” 

“The roof is the only way to get out of here, you guys need to graduate, right?” John smiled at us but winched from the pain he was facing and had to clutch his bloody chest.

“Maybe he’s right,” I spoke up as I turned towards the demon brothers. “If we get up to the roof, maybe this damn game will let us leave its hellscape.” 

_ Although,  _ my inner voice tugged at my mind,  _ I’m really disappointed because I did not get the love confessions that I deserve!  _ Once getting out of the game and not scared out of my wits, I would be rather upset that the stupid dating sim did not let me have my happy ending. 

The brothers seemed to agree that the roof must be the endgame so we all equipped a weapon and followed the injured John out of the gym. We fought our way through fearsome foes as we climbed the levels of the school, clearing a blood path in our wake. We were on the fifth and final floor when we found ourselves surrounded by dozens of monsters on either side of us. 

“We’re only a few classrooms away from the roof door!” Satan shouted over the blares of Lucifer’s rifle. 

“Yeah but the problem is,” Stupidmammon grunted as he smashed a zombie’s face in with his bat, “How the hell are we goin’ get there?” 

“I don’t know, but we have to do something!” I squealed as a zombie latched its grasp on my skirt and I shot it with the pistol I was holding. My ears rang at the blast and I had to squeeze my eyes shut as drops of blood launched onto my face at the impact.   
“I...I have an idea!” John yelled over the fighting. “I’m going to die anyway so… So I’ll sacrifice myself to save you all!”

“Are you crazy?” I found myself asking. “That’s not right-!” 

“Sounds good to me!” Stupidmammon grunted as he picked me up and tossed me over his shoulder. 

“Hey!” I sternly shouted, “What do you think you are doing?” 

“We’re getting you out of here,” Lucifer explained and nodded towards John. “Do it.” John tried to smile but cough into his hand, a mixture of blood and spit landing on it. 

“See?” He wheezed as he showed me his hand. “I’ll be okay, I’m just cutting short a prolonged death.” 

“Here!” I tossed John the pistol in my hand and he caught it. “At least go out fighting!” 

“Thanks, Claudia.” He beamed before turning and slowly walking towards the hoard blocking the roof entrance. “And Claudia?” 

“Yes?” I could feel my eyes water. 

“I hope you find true love in your future, even if it's not in this game.” With the NPC’s parting wisdom, John let out a battle cry as he ran towards the bloodthirsty beasts and wildly fired the pistol. 

“There’s an opening, let’s go!” Leviachan pointed at the roof entrance that was finally cleared. We all ran towards it, well, Mammon ran towards it with me on his back, while the sounds of screams and gunshots were heard beside us. I squeezed my eyes shut and did not open them until I felt the cold air of the outside make contact with my skin. I shivered as Mammon put me down. The roof looked like it usually did but it was dark outside. Some of the thick clouds had cleared from the sky, showing the dazzle of stars. The roof was silent except for the light roar of the wind.

“I think we’re about to find the boss battle,” Satan was the first to speak up, breaking the silence. 

“I think you’re right,” Lucifer nodded, “However, I think it’s more like the last boss has just found us.” We all watched as a large dark cloud of energy formed and started to grow in size and power in front of us. 

“We just can’t catch a break, now can’t we!” I huffed as I threw my hands up in annoyance. As the dark cloud disappeared our eyes widened at the large loaming creature in front of us. 

“What the?!” Leviachan gasped. “No way… THAT’s the last boss?!” 

“It would seem so,” Lucifer narrowed his eyes as he glanced up at his three-headed hound Cerberus. I had only ever seen him in the darkness before at the Exchange Student Resort trip but I would say the game developers nailed it. 

_ He smells just as bad as he normally does,  _ I twisted up my face in disgust. 

Cerberus was Lucifer’s pet but I rarely saw him. He was a dog that all demons feared due to his fearsome appearance and deadly bite. Cerberus usually lingered in the catacombs below the House of Lamination, guarding the graves and magical artifacts within. The brothers dreaded having to walk him or bathe him because he only showed obedience towards Lucifer. 

“Wait,” Stupidmammon held out his hands before we raised our weapons up. “We’re lucky that the boss is Cerberus, doncha think? I mean, this’ll be easy, right?” 

“What do you mean?” I asked. 

“Well, with Lucifer here on our side, Cerberus will be like a sweet little puppy!” Stupidmammon exclaimed. 

“I don’t know if it’ll be that simple,” Satan scowled, “This isn’t the Devildom, after all.” Lucifer took a step towards the growling beast and in a commanding voice said: 

“Cerberus, sit!” The beast roared with more anger than it had before and I found myself backing away in fear while Stupidmammon let out a squeal and almost jumped into my arms. 

“Well yeah, of course, he’s not gonna do what Lucifer says!” Levi snorted with annoyance. “This is a game! Lucifer’s real-world powers don’t work here!” The dog growled again and its glowing yellow eyes met Satan. Without any warning, the beast started to charge at him. 

“Satan! Watch out!” I shouted. Cerberus stopped in front of Satan and lifted up a sharp claw, ready to strike. 

“CERBERUS!” Lucifer roared with authority. The dog froze mid-action at the anger in Lucifer’s voice. “I believe I told you to sit,” Lucifer stressed, “Or didn’t you hear your master’s command?” The dog’s growl lowered as it put its paw down but still did not sit. “SIT, CERBERUS,” Lucifer growled, “NOW! Oh, just you try harming my brother… Go ahead! See what happens to you! I promise you, I will take your balls, cut them off, and put them in a motherfucking blender!” Simultaneously Stupidmammon and Leciachan gasped at Lucifer’s words. Cerberus whimpered and let out a yowl as Lucifer smacked the beast. Cerberus backed away from Satan and sat, defeated. Satan seemed dumbfounded at what just took place. 

“Holy shit,” I mumbled, impressed. 

“WH...WHOA!” Stupidmammon loudly gasped and pointed at Cerberus. “Lucifer made Cerberus follow orders here in the game world, too!” 

“Well yeah…” Levi shrugged. “I mean, if you tell someone- or something- that you’re going to take their balls, cut them off, and put them in a motherfucking blender, then, of course, they’re not going to want to test you.” 

Confetti started to fall from the sky to all of our surprises and victorious music started to play. 

“Congratulations!” The narration exclaimed. “Mission Complete! You have beaten Dogi Maji Memorium!” In a blink of an eye, I was standing in Levi’s room with Mammon. Satan, Lucifer, and Levi. 

“...I’m…” Mammon gasped as he felt his RAD uniform with his hands, “I’m not Stupidmammon anymore! We’re back in the real world!” 

“Thank goodness!” I giggled as Mammon hugged me, caught up in the moment of celebration. 

“Holy shit!” Levi exclaimed as he slipped into his computer chair to check his screen. “Cue the confetti! We just broke the RTA speedrun record!” 

“Hey, we did it, Satan!” Mammon held out a hand for a high five at the person that looked like Satan. “We made it back into the real world!” 

_ Oh no.  _ I felt my shoulders slump.  _ This day isn’t a complete victory though… _

“Mammon,” Lucifer’s voice spoke up, “I’m over here.” 

“Wha?” Mammon looked over at the one who looked like Lucifer with confusion. 

“The curse is still in effect,” I explained gloomily, “Satan and Lucifer are STILL trapped in each others’ bodies.” 

“Yup,” Lucifer looked down at the foreign body he was in, “So in the end, we only returned to our original bodies in the game world…” 

“Whereas here in the real world,” Satan spoke up as he placed a hand on his hip, “It seems the magic that caused us to switch bodies hasn’t worn off yet.” 

“Seriously?!” Mammon shouted a little too loudly. 

“What if,” Levi proposed, “You guys stayed inside the game world until the spell wears off in the Devildom?” 

“I suppose we could do that,” Lucifer nodded.

“You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me!” Mammon was in disbelief. “What if Cerberus attacks again?!”

“No problem,” Satan shrugged, “I’ve got Lucifer.” 

“What’s that now?” Lucifer raised an eyebrow at his now taller brother. “You want to force me to stare down Cerberus again?” 

“Well. it’s nothing my big brother can’t handle, now is it?” Satan playfully teased. “Even Cerberus becomes like a regular dog when faced with Lucifer’s icy stare.”

“If you’d like Satan,” a smile tugged at the corner of Lucifer’s mouth as he talked, “I could teach you how to command Cerberus to do as you say.”

“Don’t be crazy,” Satan laughed, “That’s something only you can do. I wouldn’t have a chance.” 

“Actually, I think you have what it takes to do it.” 

“Well,” Satan smirked and Lucifer smirked back, “Maybe. I was once a part of you, after all.” Lucifer seemed stunned for a moment and Satan laughed again. “Oh man, you should see how goofy you look right now!”

“Well, would you look at that,” I whispered to Mammon as I nudged him with my elbow. “Looks like that game did something after all.” 

“You think those two have finally made it up?” Mammon muttered back. 

“Shush!” Levi turned around to face us while sitting in his gamer chair. “Stop talking. I have to be the first one to review  _ Dogi Maji  _ on Akuzon!” 

“Wait!” Mammon gasped. “Now that I think about it, why’d we have to spend all that time raisin’ our intimacy scores anyway?! It didn’t even matter!” I felt myself blush and turn away from the brothers before my eyes widened. 

_ WAIT! I didn’t get my love confessions!  _

“Noooooo,” I moaned as I covered my face with my hands. “I wanted my true love….” My voice faded off as I started to aggressively mumble about the glorious opportunity that I had that was lost. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments, and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	43. Chapter 43: Do Demons go to the Human Realm?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that she's in the real world again, Claudia takes a moment to enjoy the outdoors while Lucifer and Mammon go shopping. The group takes a dinner break at Hell's Kitchen and Lucifer reveals his plan to get rid of the body-swapping curse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello readers, I just wanted to say hi before this chapter begins. For a moment there, I was worried that I wouldn't have a chapter to upload at all. You see, I live in Texas, and for those of you that don't know what is going on, the snowstorms and our unprepared local government caused a lot of Texans to not have power or water. Many still don't have either. I was one of the Texans to not have any power or water so my biggest concern was not writing this chapter, however, I finally got consistent power two days ago so I was able to write again! If any of my readers are Texans who have gone through what I have or are STILL living day-to-day life in cold temperatures without power and water, I feel you and I hope you get it again soon. Anyway, please enjoy my crappy fanfic during these dark times.

The bustle of downtown Devildom was well and alive as I walked down a cobblestone street that was sandwiched in between boutiques and antique shops that had artifacts of wonder and intrigue within. The cold evening wind was blocked by the walls of buildings and the grassy dome that hung over the pathway. Decorated with lights made up of gentle greens, blues, and yellows, the dome made me feel like I was in a realm meant for fairies and not for demons. 

_ Sometimes it’s hard to remember that I am surrounded by powerful and dangerous demons,  _ I admitted to myself thoughtfully.  _ But I suppose that is thanks to Lord Diavolo, my fellow exchange students, and the brothers. They’ve protected me from the worst that the Devildom can offer.  _

I couldn’t help to wonder what WAS the worst that the Devildom had to offer. My mind drifted over to my exchange with Belial, the Lord of Arrogance a few weeks ago. I tensed up at the thought of Belial, but I wasn’t completely sure why. He did kinda ruin my birthday and totally scared me when he pinned me down, but was he a bad person? He had such a different perspective on the Devildom that I found myself considering Belial… fresh and edgy. I couldn’t help but to think back on what he said about demons. 

_ “Here in the Devildom, you’re either in RAD acting like some idealistic child, some rich old man who is still stuck in the old ways, or you’re like the others that ain’t nobody talks about, the demons who really know what’s up _ ,” Belial’s voice echoed in my head. 

_ Maybe Belial’s just a pretentious douchebag who likes to wear eyeliner and listen to heavy metal music, or maybe he actually has a point.  _

“OH MAN!” Mammon’s gasp snapped me out of my thoughts as he smashed his face up against the glass window display of a store. “Check this out!” Mammon beamed with joy as he turned around to face me. “It’s a super-rare magic stone!” He turned back to face the display and my eyes drifted over to the precious item in question. Sitting on a velvet fabric display was an oval gemstone that was glowing a crystal blue. Beside the gem was a handwritten sign that read: “Today’s featured item! Rare gem! One of a kind! On sale 50% off!” Mammon looked like he was about to start drooling like Beel did whenever the two of us walked past  _ Madame Scream’s _ whenever the bakers put out a fresh display of cookies, cakes, and other sweets. Mammon gasped and awed at the sign and the fact that the gem was on sale before letting out a sinister snicker. 

“If I broke it into smaller pieces and sold those individually,” Mammon muttered to himself mischievously, “I’d make serious bank.”

“Oh gosh,” I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms at Mammon’s antics. Lucifer looked just as drained as he stepped over to my side to see what Mammon was up to. All three of us were wandering the downtown area, taking in the fresh air and escaping from the House of Lamentation for a bit. I needed some outside time after being stuck in a video game for several hours. 

“Luciferrrr,” Mammon sang as he turned around and basically skipped over to us, “My FAVORITE big brother!”

“And only,” I quickly mentioned. 

“You gotta buy that for me! You gotta!” Mammon stressed as he grabbed onto Lucifer’s, well, really Satan’s turtleneck sleeve with one hand and pointed at the display with the other. “C’mon, I gotta have it!” Mammon started to bounce up and down like a toddler. “I gotta, I gotta, I gotta, I gotta! If you don’t buy it for me, I’m gonna be real saaaaaaad…. I’ll end up cryin’... I’ll throw a tantrum…” Mammon flashed Lucifer some sad puppy dog eyes. “And you don’t want that, do ya?” Lucifer let out a sharp and long sigh before shaking off Mammon and looking at me. 

“Leave him be, Claudia. Pretend you don’t know him,” Lucifer told me. 

“Lucifeeeeer, come ooooon!” Mammon whined as he fell to the ground like melting slime. “I mean,” Mammon huffed as he jumped up and dusted himself off, “Tell me how this is fair, huh?! Here it is my evening off, and you’re draggin’ me out shopping with you!” Mammon chased after us as Lucifer and I started walking, Lucifer’s arm locked around mine. “And you’re not even gonna reward me for it?” Mammon shouted. None of the other pedestrians even bothered to look over at the dramatic Mammon. I had a feeling they were used to it after hundreds of years. The idea made me let out a little giggle as Mammon threw a fit. “C’mon, you could at least buy me a magic stone… or a hundred!” 

“So now you’re going to try getting angry at me?” Lucifer shook his head in disbelief. “As if that would work,” he whispered under his breath. “And seriously,” he said louder, “A reward? What are you, a child? The entire reason I brought you along with me to begin with is to get you away from Satan,” Lucifer explained. “When you two pair up, nothing good ever comes of it, especially when I am expected to clean up the mess.” I felt myself feeling bad for Lucifer and offered him an apologetic smile. I could tell that the stress of the body-swapping fiasco was getting to him. “Tomorrow is my big speech,” Lucifer sounded nervous, “It’s almost time… And yet, the curse that caused up to switch bodies shows no signs of going away. This means I have no guarantee that I will be back to myself in time for the speech.” 

“Doncha think it’s about time to give in and ask Satan to do it for you?” Mammon blurted. “You’re sorta out of options here. I mean, all ya gotta say is,” Mammon cleared his throat and made it lower and weirdly gruffer, “‘Satan, no funny business this time. Give the speech and be done with it.”’

“I had no idea that Lucifer sounded like a gruff old man,” I couldn't help but smirk. 

“And I,” Lucifer seemed to puff his chest out in pride, “Have no intention of begging him for his help.

“Oh, Lucifer…” I sighed. 

“Even if I DID do that, I couldn’t be sure that he wouldn’t end up trying something nefarious anyway.”

“You sure about that?” Mammon asked.

“I am,” Lucifer sternly stated. “This is Satan we’re talking about. I highly doubt he would simply do as I asked.” Mammon snickered and had to cover his mouth and puff up his cheeks to hide it. Lucifer shot his younger brother a glare. 

“Ya know,” Mammon wheezed out, “I know you’re serious and all, but hearing those words come outta Satan’s mouth like this, it’s hard not to laugh… Anyway,” Mammon piped up and hurried over next to my free side, “After everything that went down inside that game, Satan seems like he’s changed some, doncha think?” 

“Oh yeah,” I nodded my head, “Definitely.” Lucifer had too, even if he didn’t want to admit it. I thought about holding my arm out so that I could also hook arms with Mammon but I knew that wasn’t his style so I gently reached over and brushed my hand up against Mammon’s. Once my hand made contact with his, I slowly brought it closer and locked my fingers in between his. I thought I heard Mammon gulp beside me before he spoke. 

“E-Exactly. That’s what I’m sayin’! You see it too, doncha? Did you hear that, Lucifer?” Mammon peered over at Lucifer who was to my right. “Claudia AGREES with me! Like, how do I put it?” Mammon thoughtfully mumbled. 

“Well,” I spoke up, “Satan seems more relaxed now.” 

“Yeah… YEAH!” Mammon eagerly nodded. “He’s not all bitter and stuff around you anymore, Lucifer.” 

“Come on, Claudia,” Lucifer nudged me slightly and let go of my arm. I looked over to see that a store had his attention. “I’m going to head inside this store here.” 

“HEY!” Mammon fumed as I let go of his hand and followed Lucifer towards the store mumbling “ooh, pretty,” at a sparkling dress in the store window. “Are you even listenin’ to what I’m saying here?”

“Not at all, no,” Lucifer sharply snapped as he walked, “Also, I don’t believe that he’s changed at all.” He turned on his heels to face Mammon right at the shop’s doorway. “We’re talking about Satan. Since the day he came into this world, his entire purpose in life has been to defy me, and now you’re suggesting he’s changed? It’s in his very nature to oppose me, and a demon’s nature doesn’t change so easily.”

“Oh, now I dunno about that,” Mammon pointed at Lucifer, “I think you’re wrong there.” I looked back and forth between the pair, interested in the direction this conversation was going. “Just earlier, I told him that we should totally use the fact that he looks like you to our advantage. I said we should scam random folks, make some easy money… but Satan wasn’t havin’ any of it. He was like, ‘Nah, I’m tired of doing stuff like that,’ and ‘Eh, too much work.’ It used to be that he’d jump at any opportunity like that, but now he’s no fun at all! Back before all that stuff happened in the game world,” Mammon went on, “He would’ve done ANYTHING if it meant makin’ life difficult on you, but now suddenly he’s not interested.”

“Mammon?” Lucifer raised an eyebrow and my eyes widened. I tried to signal Mammon to stop talking but he wouldn’t. 

“I mean,” Mammon blabbed on, “Opportunities like this don’t come around every day, ya know? And he’s wastin’ it. We could totally be making ourselves some money right now…” 

“Mammon, did I hear you correctly?” Lucifer darkly asked as a dark energy formed around him. Some shopping patrons hurried away from us in a panic while some shop owners closed their curtains and locked their doors. I gulped and took a few steps away from the pair. “You were planning to take advantage of the fact that Satan looks like me to scam random folks?” Lucifer hissed and the ground seemed to shake beneath us. Mammon gasped, finally realizing he fucked up. 

“Uh-oh!” 

“Maaaammmmooooon?” 

“Yikes!”

“Oh, there there,” I patted an upset Mammon on the head as he winched and whined about the beating he took from Lucifer. We had finished our shopping up and were now sitting in a crowded  _ Hell’s Kitchen  _ at a round table. 

“Ow… ugh,” Mammon rubbed his sore arm and glared at Lucifer. “Did you have to hit me? I mean, seriously…” 

“You should be thankful I’m not in my real body,” Lucifer chipped in from the other side of the table as he nonchalantly sipped some wine, “Or the damage would’ve been much worse.” 

“Well, I think getting hit hurts no matter who does it, isn’t that right Mammon?” I asked the pouting Mammon as I gently patted him on the head. 

“Yeah! It hurts no matter WHO does it!” 

“Not to worry,” Lucifer sadistically grinned, “I’ll be back to my old self soon enough. Then we’ll do something about the overly lenient beatings you’ve been getting while I’ve been in Satan’s body. I’ll make up for that pain deficit all at once.”

“Whaddya mean don’t worry?!” Mammon scoffed and wiggled in his seat. “Gah, no thanks! I don’t need any more punishment! None!” 

“Are you telling me you don’t need food, either?” Lucifer raised an eyebrow and gestured at Mammon’s plate with his glass. “Because all you’ve been doing is talking. If you don’t eat your food, you’re going to lose your chance, you know.” 

“Yeah, listen to mom,” I whispered to Mammon with a grin before taking a bite out of my own meal. 

“Oh, I’m DEFINITELY gonna eat!” Mammon nodded his head and grabbed his fork and knife. “Man, it’s been so long since I’ve eaten at  _ Hell’s Kitchen _ . Sure am glad Beel isn’t here! Welp,” Mammon started to cut into his Ghostly Rare Steak, “Time to dig in!” Mammon started to munch on his steak. “Mmm, that’s good!”

“I think the last time either one of us ate here was when Beel took me- I mean us out to celebrate the pact I made with him. It’s nice to be back,” I smiled at Lucifer and he smiled back. 

“Well, this is Mammon’s reward for coming shopping with me. So eat as much as you’d like.” I blinked several times, taken aback by Lucifer’s words. Lucifer had really changed. 

“Okay, I will! I take back everything I said!” Mammon exclaimed with a stuffed mouth. “You’re the BEST, Lucifer!” Lucifer seemed to notice my reaction and stared at me curiously. 

“What’s wrong, Claudia?” He asked me. “Aren’t you going to eat?” 

“Hmm, I don’t know,” I hummed as I scooted closer to Lucifer. “I guess I’m just surprised. Is something...up? You seem way too nice. I’m not saying I hate it, but it’s weird.” 

“Come to think of it,” Lucifer smirked, “I’ve heard that there’s a famous story in the human world about an evil witch who fattens up children and then eats them, but,” Lucifer became more serious, “I’m a demon, not a witch. As much as I enjoy a good human soul, I’m not fond of human flesh.” 

“Well, I sure hope Aminata isn’t either because otherwise, our friendship might become a little problematic,” I laughed. 

“Oh, I’m sure she would still get a kick out of it, you know her,” Lucifer shook his head before smiling at me with that smile that always made me blush. “But go ahead, eat. Have as much as you’d like.”

“Okay, yeah. Thanks,” I smiled back and I felt as if something between Lucifer and I had grown. It was only a second, but I knew our entire relationship had truly changed. 

“Ahhh, man that was good,” Mammon let out a satisfied, lazy sigh as he stretched in his seat. “Couldn’t eat another bite.” It was later in the evening and the restaurant’s crowd had gone down. Most of the patrons at this time of night lined the bar and drank instead of ate. 

“Yes, I’m sure you couldn’t,” Lucifer nodded with a stone face. “And guess what? Now you get to compensate me for all of that food you ate,” he looked down at the stack of Mammon’s empty plates before looking up back at Mammon, “Through hard work.”

“WHA?!” Mammon shouted as he stood up and slammed his hands on the wooden table. I winched as some plates shook around him, worried that at any moment, they could go toppling to the ground and shatter. 

“I’m heading to the human world tomorrow morning, and you two are coming with me.” 

“Wait, wait, what?!” Now it was my time to be shocked as I loudly gasped and drew some attention to our table. 

“The human world? Like, for real?!” Mammon blurted. “We get to go to the human world?! Oh, this is awesome!” He grinned at me. “I mean, that sounds like tons of fun!” 

“Are we seriously going? This isn’t a prank, is it?” I felt so overwhelmed by the news that I didn’t know how to feel. 

“Man, it’s been a long time since I’ve gone up there for fun,” Mammon admitted with a nostalgic look. “I used to corrupt human souls left and right. I’d make a bunch of money doin’ it, too. Then I’d go on a massive spending spree!” Mammon put his hands on my shoulders. “You’re coming with, right Claudia?” 

“Hell yeah, I am! But wait…” I narrowed my eyes and glanced over at Lucifer. “Why exactly are we going to the human realm?”

“Because of the cursed book that caused me to switch bodies with Satan,” Lucifer placed his hands on the table and locked them together as he spoke, “You see, the witch who created that book is still alive. If we want to break this curse, the best way is to ask the very person who created it. I’m guessing she should be able to lift the curse and return me to my proper body.”

“Yup, if anyone can help you, she’s probably the one. But to go tomorrow morning?” I shook my head in bewilderment. “You’re giving your speech tomorrow night, that’s cutting it extremely close.” 

“No kidding,” Mammon snorted but then became rigid. “Wait,” he seemed to shiver, “Did you say a witch? A witch that created a forbidden book that could make people switch bodies? Hold on, could that be…?!” Mammon crossed his arms and slumped down in his seat. “Uh, y’know what? I think I’m gonna go ahead and sit this one out….” Mammon jumped out of his seat and started to push it in. “Byeeeee!” At a speed that a human could never hope to achieve, Lucifer dashed over and grabbed Mammon by his back collar, preventing him from escaping. 

“Did you really think I’d simply let you run off, Mammon?” Lucifer asked, enjoying this a little. 

“G’aaah! Mammon struggled against Lucifer’s grip. “Qu-Quit it! Leggo of me!” 

“I don’t get it,” I brought up from my seat. “Why is Mammon so freaked out? It’s not like he has a phobia of witches or something, right? Aminata’s a witch and he has no problem with her.” 

“Well,” Lucifer explained, “It just so happens that this witch is a really big fan of both Mammon and Satan.” 

“See? Then don’t drag me along with ya!” Mammon snapped, still struggling. 

“But that’s exactly why I’m going to drag you along with me,” Lucifer pointed out. 

“Claudia,” He glanced at me, “You’re coming to.”

“Was already planning on it,” I mentioned. 

“Good, because as long as we’re going to be in the human world, I imagine having one along with us will come in handy.” 

“So where exactly are we going?” I asked as I stood up. “The human realm, Earth, the world- whatever you want to call it- is a big place.”

“London,” Lucifer informed me with a sparkle in his out-of-place emerald eyes. 

It was a dreadfully early morning when I found myself walking along the same cobblestone pathway I did last night. I yawned loudly before muffling the sound with the coffee cup that I brought to my mouth. My tea latte was the only thing stopping me from running back to the House of Lamination, jumping in bed, and wrapping myself up in a cocoon of warm blankets. 

“No, no, no, no, no I don’t wanna!” Mammon whined beside me as Lucifer dragged him along by the collar. The dragging of Mammon’s feet made a squeaking noise against the stone pathway. “I’m not goin’ to any human world! Don’t make meeee!”

“If you don’t shut up now,” snapped a tired Lucifer, “Then once I’m back in my real body, I promise to string you up and hang you upside down for a thousand years!” Mammon gulped and shivered. 

“So now that we’re here,” I stretched, trying to adjust my body to the early morning, “How exactly do we get to the human world anyway?” I think I remember coming to the Devildom through a portal but I could be wrong. My memory of the first night I came to the Devildom was fuzzy. I remember doodling in my sketchbook during that afternoon and listening to music and then… nothing until I woke up in the Devildom. 

“Oh, there are more than a few methods,” Lucifer explained to me. “One is to use an eternal magic seal, a passage between worlds that has existed since ancient times. There are several magic seals like that, one of which,” Lucifer stopped in front of a glass window of a shop that appeared thicker and milkier than the other store windows, “Is right here.” 

“Wow,” I hummed as I joined his side, “If you hadn’t pointed it out, I don’t think I would have noticed that it appeared different than the other windows. Do demons use this seal often?” On the window frame were faint etched letters that I couldn’t read. 

“Nope,” Mammon replied, “Pretty much the only demons that are allowed to use those things whenever they feel like it are Lord Diavolo, Barbatos, and Lucifer.” Mammon turned to face his brother. “What’s up with that, huh? I mean,” Mammon grunted as he placed his hands on his hips, “It ain’t fair! I wanna be able to use ‘em too!” I couldn’t help but giggle. 

“If another demon wishes to use the doorway,” Lucifer plainly put it, “They have to receive permission in advance. Originally all demons were allowed free use of them whenever they wanted, but then we had some problems in the human world that necessitated a change in our policy, so now it's a permission-based system.” I quietly ran my hand along the window frame, feeling the etching. 

_ I wonder if Nickels went through one of these portals to get to the Devildom, _ I found myself thinking. 

“Why is it permission-based now?” I asked, having a feeling I already knew the answer. 

“You see,” I could feel Lucifer stare daggers at Mammon, “A certain someone kept heading up to the human world and getting himself into trouble with the witches there.” Mammon let out a nervous chuckle. 

“So,” I turned back to face the brothers, “How else can someone go to my world?” 

“Well, the second option, or the classic route,” Lucifer explained, “Is to walk through all eight layers of the Devildom on foot.” 

“Oh no, uh-uh!” Mammon shook his head with fervor. “Too much trouble!” 

“Relax,” Lucifer almost chuckled, “I’ve got no interest in going that way. The classic route is simply too long, and I doubt that Claudia’s psyche would survive the trip.” I was about to say something snappy in protest but held my tongue; Lucifer was probably right. I couldn’t- and didn’t- want to imagine the horrors of Hell. I was still having a hard time accepting that Hell was real, let alone what it held. 

“A third way to travel to the human world,” Lucifer went on, “Is to have a magically gifted person such as a witch or sorcerer summon you there.”

“Well, that sounds easy,” I shrugged. “So Aminata or Solomon could just snap with their snazzy magic and I’d be back in the human realm?” 

“Not really… It sounds simple,” Lucifer stressed, “But there are several limitations to that approach.” Lucifer gave Mammon a sidewards glance before taking a step up to the seal. “Mammon is well-acquainted with them, have him fill you in later.” 

“Ugh, so scary…” Mammon mumbled as he shivered and held his arms. “No witches, no witches, no witches…” Well, it appeared that Mammon did indeed have a witch phobia. Witches were Mammon’s Vietnam. I sympathetically patted Mammon on the back while Lucifer merely rolled his eyes. 

“All right, all right. We know you’re afraid of witches, Mammon. Now, let’s get going.” Lucifer clapped his hands together and the mirror started to glow. 

“Wait, no!” Mammon started to shuffle backward. “Don’t make me do this!” Mammon’s pleads started to get louder as we were blinded by a light. I was expecting to find myself in London as soon as the light faded but when it did, I was greeted with the reflection of the same shop mirror and Lucifer’s horrified face. 

“...Huh?” Mammon looked around. 

“Wait….” Lucifer backed away from the mirror, almost ashamed. 

“Hey, what’s the big idea scarin’ me like that, huh?!” Mammon snapped and hopped around like a growling yappy dog. “This ain’t the human world, we’re still in the Devildom.” 

“Strange,” Lucifer sighed as he shook his head, “Why didn’t it work? I’m certain I did everything right…”

“It’s because you’re in Satan’s body,” I concluded. “I bet the seal doesn’t recognize that you are, well, you, and not Satan.” Lucifer straightened up, shocked. Looked like I hit the hammer on the nail. 

“I see…” Lucifer looked defeated. “So even though it’s really me, as long as I’m in Satan’s body, I can’t use the magic circle. Without a mirror around to remind me,” Satan looked at his reflection in the glass, “It’s easy to forget that I’m someone else right now…” 

“Welp,” Mammon whistled as he started to gleefully walk off, “If you can’t use the magic circle, then I guess that’s that! No trip to the human world! That curse is gonna wear off eventually anyway, right? And then you’ll change back. As for that speech thing you’ve got later tonight, I’ll go have a talk with Satan for ya. ‘Course,” Mammon shrugged, “My services aren’t free of charge, but don’t worry, I’ll give ya a family discount-” 

“That won’t be necessary,” Someone interrupted and I turned to the sound of the voice to see Satan walk down the empty cobblestone path towards us. 

“Satan!” I gasped as my face lit up with a smile. 

“I hate speeches,” Satan declared, “They’re a giant hassle, and I’ve got no intention of agreeing to give one.” Both Lucifer and Mammon looked shocked to see their younger brother but I was just happy to see him. 

“What?” Mammon fumbled over his words. “Satan! What’re you doin’ here?!” 

“What,” Satan shrugged as he looked around at nothingness, “Is there something wrong with me being here? Either way, I heard everything you guys said. So, don’t just stand there doing nothing,” Satan hurried over to stand in front of the seal, “Come on, let’s get going!” 

“Get going?” Mammon’s eyes widened. “Wait, don’t tell me you actually wanna go to the-”

“To the human world, yes,” Satan clarified as he clapped his hands together. The seal lit up again. “That was your plan, right? To find the witch who created the curse that caused us to switch bodies and have her lift it.” 

“Don’t think this means I’ll owe you anything,” Lucifer quickly hissed.

“Unlike a certain Stupidmammon,” Satan grinned, “I won’t be deceived so easily.” Mammon started to protest but Satan ignored him. “I’m just tired of being in this body,” he explained, “That’s all. I’ve gotten all the fun out of it I can.” Lucifer let out a “hmpf” noise before joining Satan’s side. The pair held their hands over the mirror, combining their energy together to open the seal. 

“Hey, whoa!” Mammon gasped. “What the- so now you two are coopertatin’?! I thought you hated each other?!” 

“Desperate times makes everyone act in peculiar ways, now,” I grinned as I grabbed Mammon’s hand and started to rush towards the portal that Lucifer and Satan just opened up, “Let’s go break a curse!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments, and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


	44. Chapter 44: Do Demons Solve Murder Mysteries?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia's trip to London is going wonderfully until disaster strikes. Somebody has been murdered! Now she must figure out a murder case for the sake of Mammon, Lucifer, and Satan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, this section of Obey Me really dragged so I had to add a little bit of *spice* to make it better. It feels like an episode of Dora with how much it repeats the same information. It's like, I get it!!! I know who killed Grisella! Let's move on!

Ah, London, a capital that is known around the world. Also called the “Big Smoke,” the UK city is known for the royals, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and soon in my mind, known for witches. My introduction to London was stumbling out into a narrow alley that smelled of trash and smoke and almost falling into a puddle. On a normal occasion, my image of London might be tarnished, but at that moment, it didn’t matter how grand my introduction to London was, I was excited.

The rainy London was a welcome joy even if the weather conditions were not ideal. A light drizzle covered everything from the narrow streets to the old touching business and apartment buildings, to the passersby walking around. Everyone had on coats and I was thankful that I had a decently thick one on too because the cool temperature was making me shiver. Even inside a pub (which Mammon insisted we go to once he landed his eyes on it), the cold wind would hit me every time someone opened the heavy oak front door to enter or leave. I sat on a stool closest to one of the two windows in the pub, dreamily staring outside, people watching. 

“Mmm!” Mammon let out a satisfied noise as he sipped on his tall tapped beer. “Oh yeah,” he nodded to himself, “That’s GOOD, real good! Man,” Mammon nudged me, “The human world totally has the best dark beers!” 

“Mmm, I wouldn’t know,” I shrugged, still staring along the street. It was almost surreal being back in a place that was so familiar yet so strange. “Anyway,” I turned to Mammon with a raised eyebrow, “I thought you didn’t want to come to the human world yet here you are, enjoying every moment.” 

“Exactly,” Lucifer sighed as he shook his head, “You’re unbelievable. You screamed bloody murder about having to come here, but look at you.” Lucifer had his hands crossed, impatient, and ready to leave. He was much more concerned about getting down to business. 

“Well, y’know,” Mammon weakly shrugged, “That was then and this is now! I didn’t want to come, but as long as I’m here,” Mammon grinned at his beer, “I’m not gonna waste my chance to have fun! Aaah,” Mammon leaned back in his barstool, close to almost losing balance, “It’s been such a long time since I’ve been in the human world without being summoned here by some witch!”

“Exactly how long do you plan to hang around here goofing off?” Satan asked, standing next to Lucifer and glaring down at Mammon with his dark eyes. “Come on, time to get moving.” The pair started to walk away. 

“What?!” Mammon gasped at them and looked down at his beer, “But I’ve still got a lotta drinkin’ to do!”

“Mammon,” Lucifer slightly turned his head and gifted his brother with an icy grin, “If you’re going to stay here drinking, then we’re leaving you with the bill. The entire bill,” he stressed. 

“Wait, wait, wait, wait,” Mammon sang, completely changing his tune as he practically skipped over to the pair. I shook my head as I got down from my stool. “I’m coming, so uh… you can pay, Lucifer!” He blinked in a panic. “My favorite brother!” He quickly added on. 

“Ugh, enough,” Lucifer rubbed his temples,” Enough. Just… stop talking.” Lucifer walked back over to the bar and pulled out some pounds to pay for Mammon’s drinks. After paying for the bill, we took off, heading to Lucifer’s main destination: the King's Cross Station. As a major train station in London, and happening to be the train station where  _ Harry Potter _ was filmed, I wondered where our destination could possibly be. The old station was alive and active when we arrived with train riders and tourists. We walked down the long tan brick station, surrounded by the buzz of people talking, the clinks and clanks of the trains, and the dull melody of announcements playing overhead on speakers. 

“Hey, hey Claudia!” Mammon poked me with excitement as we passed by Platform 9 ¾, the famed platform that takes eager wizards to the Hogwarts Express. At the platform was a suitcase cart prop that looked like it was going through the wall and a gift shop beside it. A pair of giggling girls were talking turns posing and taking pictures by the suitcase cart. “Check it out!” Mammon buzzed with excitement. “This place is selling official Harry Potter merch!” He pointed at the window display at the gift shop. “Wait,” he turned towards me with wide eyes, “This is actually one of the locations where the movie was filmed, wasn’t it?!” 

“Yup,” I laughed as Mammon grabbed my hand and dragged me towards the gift shop. I heard Lucifer and Satan follow us. 

“WOAH!” Mammon gasped like a little kid as he looked around the gift shop with wide eyes. “Oh, oh!” Mammon dragged me over to a section of the store that had a candy display. “And these are the same chocolate lizards they had in the movie, huh?!” His hand moved around, pointing at whatever he saw. “Oh, and this gum was in it, too!” Mammon was practically jumping with joy. “I can’t NOT buy them now!” I couldn’t help but smile and be overwhelmed with happiness at Mammon’s joy.

“And who exactly do you imagine is going to pay for that?” Lucifer asked and we turned to face him. 

_ Me, meeeee!  _ My mind hissed like I was Gollum from the  _ Lord of the Rings. I will pay for my preciouses.  _

“Well you, of course!” Mammon gleefully replied to Lucifer. “Who else?! I mean, it’s not like I’ve got any human world money on me.” 

“Uh, but do you ever have money, Mammon?” I giggled. 

“He never does,” Satan declared, “Regardless of what world he is in.”

“Hey, it’s not like I don’t got any money at all!” Mammon exclaimed. “I’m just… always either savin’ it up or spendin’ it like crazy. So I never have any on hand, that’s all!”

“You truly are a demon’s demon, Mammon…” Lucifer shook his head. 

“Oh!” Mammon’s eyes lit up as he slid over to a stand that had keychains. “Look at this, Claudia!” I looked over to see Mammon touching a chocolate lizard keychains. “They’ve got chocolate lizard keychains, and it looks like real chocolate. Man,” he eyed it carefully and with appreciation, “They did a good job on these, huh…” Mammon beamed at me in a way that made me want to do anything for him. “You totally want one too, right?! Right?! Right?!” 

“Yes,” I blurted with a serious expression on my face. I was willing to empty out my entire bank account for Mammon. 

“I knew it!” Mammon cheered. “C’mon, we’ll buy a matching pair!”

“Fine,” Lucifer smiled as he stepped beside me and glanced down at me. “I suppose I don’t have a choice…” Lucifer reached over and grabbed four chocolate lizard keychains. I felt my heart flutter. 

“Wait a minute,” Mammon looked confused, “Lucifer, why are you buyin’ four?” He bugged his brother as Lucifer started to walk over to the checkout. “We only need two: one for me, and one for Claudia.”

“There are four of us here,” Lucifer casually explained as he nodded at the person working the checkout and put down the keychains so that he could pull out his wallet. 

“Wha?!” Mammon groaned. “So now you, me, and Satan are gonna have matching keychains?! Why’s it gotta be like that??! Ugh,” Mammon slumped over, “That’s just gross.” 

“You forgot about me,” I happily chirped. 

“Well, Lucifer,” Satan casually picked up one of the keychains and studied it, “It seems Mammon doesn’t want one. So, I guess we’ll only be needing three then. One for you, one for me, and one for Claudia.”

“No, wait,” Mammon reached out and grabbed the one Satan was holding. He held it close to his chest as if his life depended on it. “I do want one! I totally do! I gotta have one!”

“Hehe, thank you,” I smiled at Lucifer as he handed me my keychain. “I’m happy that we all have matching ones, I’ll put it on my briefcase once we get back home.” 

_ Home… isn’t that weird, calling the Devildom home?  _ I asked myself.  _ I was so happy to be back in the human world, why would I be excited to go back to the Devildom? _

I was still thinking about how I truly felt with a light frown on my face as I stared out the train window that the plush blue bed that I was sitting on was beside. In typical Lucifer fashion, we were riding in style in a private room on the sleeper cart. 

“Woah!” I was shaken from my thoughts by an excited Mammon who joined my side and pointed out at the rolling view. “Check it out, Claudia! Sheep, real live sheep! There’s a whole flock of ‘em!” There was indeed an entire flock who looked like fluffy cotton balls in the distance. 

“Mammon,” Satan scowled from the leather chair he was sitting in, “Quit shouting every time you see something mildly interesting. You’re embarrassing us.” 

“I mean,” I shook my head but smiled at Mammon, “I think it’s kind of cute.” Mammon was too distracted by the view to pay attention to my words. 

“It seems I made the right choice reserving a private cabin for us on the train,” Lucifer declared, “Thought first class was expensive.” 

“I appreciate you paying extra for the private room,” I thanked Lucifer. “I don’t think I’ve ever been in such a luxurious room.” I let out a happy sigh as I fell back on the bed. 

“By the way,” Mammon spoke up, pulling himself from the window, “They’ve got a place where you can go and eat on this train, right? What was it called again… the dining car?”

“Mhm,” I hummed as I closed my eyes. Mammon let out a giggle as I felt him get off of the bed. 

“I’m gonna go take some pictures and then brag about it to Beel when we get back to the Devildom. Be back in a minute!” Mammon called out as I heard the door to our room open and then close. With Mammon gone, the room was left in silence. Feeling a little off, I opened my eyes and sat up. 

“...So,” Lucifer slowly spoke up, “Would you say this is similar to what’s known as a family trip in the human world?”

“Maybe, yeah,” Satan shrugged as he turned to look out at the view of the countryside. “You know, the view out the window is nice. I smiled, feeling more relaxed. 

“Yeah,” I fell back on the bed, “This is totally like a family trip. This reminds me of when I go on trips with my mom and dad. There are only three of us, so our trips are always intimate. And,” I laughed a little, “They’re always so well planned because my mom is a control freak like that. She ah, hehe, she likes to do everything she possibly can do while my dad, well,” I rolled over to look out at the window, “My dad sees vacation as ‘chill time.’ He’d rather sleep or chill out by the pool rather than do a lot. They’re polar opposites when it comes to trips.”

“And where do you fit on the scale?” Satan asked me as he placed one of his elbows on the arm of his chair and rested his chin on his hand. 

“Oh, I’m somewhere in the middle, a good balance,” I replied. “I’m the best of both worlds… Ah,” my calm smile weakened. “I really miss both of them.” Before Satan or Lucifer could say anything in return, panic screaming was heard echoing down the cart. 

“Someone call the crew!” Someone yelled. “A woman’s been stabbed!”

“Holy shit,” I gasped quietly.

“The guy who did it, he was young!” A voice stuttered, likely talking to someone on the crew. It sounded male and British. “He had white hair and tan skin, and he was wearing sunglasses! Right, exactly! He was wearing a brown and white jacket, and he had some sort of strange keychain. It looked like a tail or something! He’s the one who did it,” he claimed, “He’s the one who… who stabbed her to death!” Lucifer mumbled something to himself before sighing and shaking his head. 

“How about we pretend we didn’t hear anything…” Lucifer offered. 

“No way!” I gasped as I scrambled to get off of the bed. “I don’t know what is going on out there, but if some woman is really dead, I know that Mammon wasn’t the cause!” I was confident in my claim. I stormed out of the private room, followed by Satan and Lucifer. I asked enough questions to the right people to be led to a section of the dining cart where Mammon was being guarded by two crew members. Off to the side was a hysterical woman with short curly brown hair wearing a pearl necklace, a nervous-looking man with hints of gray in his hair and wearing glasses, and an angry-looking younger guy, a few years my senior, with blonde hair wearing a flashy shirt that made my eyes hurt. It was so god-awful that I wanted to rip it off of him and have Lucifer burn it. 

“Mammon!” I gasped as soon as I saw him and wanted to rush over but stopped when one of the crew gave me a glare. 

“Let’s hear it,” Lucifer snapped.

“Whaddya mean let’s hear it?!” Mammon asked in outrage. 

“What did you do this time, Mammon?” Satan tapped his gloved fingers up against his crossed arms in impatience. 

“I told ya, nothin’!” Mammon grunted. 

“He killed her! He killed that woman!” Spat the guy with blonde hair. 

“That's right!” Gasped the sobbing woman,” He stabbed her with a knife!”

“Hey, you three,” the man with the glasses spoke up as he adjusted them, “Are you with this man?!”

“Yes, we are,” I wasn’t afraid to admit it but all of the aggressive yelling was making me anxious. 

“Well, I’m not, personally…” Satan quickly mentioned to the trio.

“Neither am I,” Lucifer casually claimed, “I’ve never seen him before in my life.” I shot Lucifer and Satan a glare. 

“Hey!” Mammon wiggled with aggravation. “You two are EVIL, ya know that?! So Claudia is the only one who’ll stand up for me?! Seriously?!”

“Oh shush, all of you.” I turned back to the trio of people.” Please, I know this is hard, but let’s try to calm down. We are just as lost as you all are.”

“I know what is going on,” Lucifer frowned at Mammon. “Honestly,” he sighed at his brother, “You’re like a magnet for trouble. Everywhere you go, it follows. You need to stop this…” 

“Stop what?!” Mammon threw up his hands in disbelief. “Like, I’m just an innocent bystander here!”

“Well, in any event, you’d better tell us what happened,” Satan demanded, sounding a little threatening, “And start from the beginning.” 

“I heard there was a car on the train where you could go to eat, so I went lookin’ for it,” Mammon explained. “I was gonna take some pictures and then show them to Beel later. You know,” Mammon shrugged, “To brag. But then… I came across a dead end, well, at least I thought it was at first. At the door, there was a sign that read: “No admittance. This car has been reserved for a private party” or somethin’. I wanted to get to the dining car, so I kinda, hehe, decided to ignore it.” 

“Of course you did,” Lucifer groaned.

“So I end up walking into a really, really dark room. I can’t see zip but I think I hear some people or somethin. There was some medium chanting some mumbo gumbo along with those people,” Mammon pointed to the people in the corner. “So I ask what’s up and they mistake me for a spirit. All of a sudden, there’s screaming and the medium collapses. They’re yelling about blood and stuff. Then, the medium says my name before, well, dyin’. Apparently, they think that she was saying my name cause she was tryin’ to tell them who killed her, ain’t that stupid?” 

“It’s not stupid when it’s the truth,” The blonde growled. 

“... Just how much of an idiot are you?” Lucifer just about facepalmed as he shook his head. 

“A pretty big one,” Satan grumbled, “That’s for sure.”

“HEY!” Mammon almost lunged out and the two crew members guarding him had to hold him back. “These people are treating me like some sorta criminal, y’know! So how about you defend me here, huh?!”

“It’s okay Mammon, it’s okay,” I held my hands out in an attempt to calm him down. “A person is not guilty until proven guilty and I aim to prove you as innocent.” 

“What matters,” Lucifer snapped, “Is the fact that Mammon never thinks before he acts. That’s why,” he scowled at Mammon, “You’re always getting yourself into these situations, you complete and utter moron.” To the surprise of everyone in the room, except for Satan and me, Lucifer smacked Mammon atop the head with a backhand. Even the crew members in the room winched at the sound of impact. Mammon whined about the pain as he rubbed his abused head. 

“None of this would have happened if you hadn’t insisted on telling them your name,” Satan lectured Mammon, “But being the total fool you are, you just had to, didn’t you?” Mammon let out a sniffle before his golden eyes started to water. Sloppy wet tears started to fall from his face. 

“Hey, hey,” I said in a loving tone as I got down on a knee to match the level that Mammon was at, “Don’t listen to your EXTREMELY harsh and rude brothers.” I reached a hand out and rubbed his knee. “This was not your fault, Mammon.”

“You’re so nice, Claudia,” Mammon quietly sobbed, “It’s like someone took my heart and shattered it… like it was made of glass, but now here you come to the rescue,” Mammon took off his sunglasses so that he could rub his eyes, “Bein’ all nice. It really hits me in the feels, Claudia… Those other two, they’re EVIL!” Mammon claimed. “You’re the only one who’s kind to me…” 

“In case you’ve forgotten,” Satan mentioned in a whisper so that the humans couldn’t hear, “You’re a demon, Mammon. Which makes you evil as well.”

“I don’t think demons are inherently evil, no creature is. It is scientifically impossible,” I quietly snapped back. “The same goes with angels. Anyway,” I cleared my throat as I stood up, “We’re going to have to do something about this mess.”

“I don’t believe this,” Lucifer groaned as he rubbed his forehead, “As if we needed another problem to deal with.” Meanwhile, a wide grin spread across Satan’s face before he loudly declared:

“Only one version of events is ever true!”

“Eh?” Mammon scratched his head and I blinked at Satan in surprise. “What’re you talkin’ about?” 

“Good question,” The female in the room huffed. 

“It’s a line from  _ The Mid-Fall Murders _ ,” Satan explained excitedly, “A huma- I mean a crime suspense series. That was the lead character Inspector Adler’s famous catchphrase. ‘The perpetrators had better give themselves up now while they still have the chance,’” Satan quoted, “‘Because I will find them’. I never thought the day would come when I’d actually get to say that in real life,” Satan seemed giddy like a schoolgirl with a crush. 

“I’m not sure I completely understand what this is about,” Lucifer admitted, rather drained, “But I can tell that you’re motivated, and that’s what’s important.” 

“You three,” the older man with glasses crossed his arms, “This is no time to be standing around joking! If this man is the killer, then we’ll hand him over to Scotland Yard at the next station-”

“I think all of you should go wait in the dining car for now,” Lucifer commanded everyone in the room, “Goodbye.” 

“Right, good idea,” Someone mumbled as all five humans in the room left as if they were soldiers following an order, “We’ll let you guys track down whoever did it.”

“Okay everyone,” One of the crew said, “Let’s go to the dining car.”

“Right…” Someone mumbled in return.

“Uh?” I raised an eyebrow at Lucifer. “So what was that? I know you just totally did something.” 

“It’s one of our powers as demons,” Satan explained, “We’re able to manipulate humans, sort of like a form of hypnosis.”

“Wow, now I’m suddenly nervous,” I let out a weak laugh. 

“Ah, but Lord Diavolo has explicitly forbidden anyone from doing that to you, so don’t worry,” Satan tried to assure me but it didn’t help. 

_ Just because Diavolo says something doesn’t mean everyone is going to listen… I can’t imagine Eisheth or Belial doing something just because Diavolo said so. Hell, I don’t even Nickels would if he happened to not be so nice.  _

“I’m going to go take a look at the victim in the next room,” Lucifer called out as he moved to the scene of the crime that was behind a velvet curtain beside us. 

“As long as we’re on the subject,” Satan continued, “I should note that Asmo’s power to seduce others is an even more powerful form of manipulation.” 

“But apparently his charm powers don’t work on me,” I brought up. 

_ Which is still weird,  _ my mind brought up.  _ So is the fact that I keep having the same dream every night but what’s new,  _ I snapped back.  _ Nothing makes sense.  _

“I forgot about that,” Satan mumbled. “Every once in a while, we come across special humans who are immune like that. Almost all of them turn out to be witches or sorcerers,” Satan explained to me, “People with exceptional magical power, but in your case-”

“Wait a minute!” We heard Lucifer gasp. 

“What is it?” I called out and Lucifer came rushing back towards us. “This woman,” he almost stuttered, I’d never seen him so surprised before, “The murder victim-” 

“I told ya, it wasn’t me!” Mammon blurted. “I didn’t stab her, okay?! I don’t even have a knife on me!”

“...This is Grisella,” Lucifer informed us.

“What?” I was taken aback. “The witch we were supposed to go see?” 

“I’m certain of it,” Lucifer was dead serious. 

“You gotta be kiddin’ me!” Mammon scoffed. 

“No wonder she called out to you, Mammon,” I said as I glanced over at him. “She recognized you. Let’s try to look around for a few more clues before gathering up the witnesses,” I suggested to the brothers. “But um, I would prefer it if I didn’t have to look at a dead body… I don’t think I am ready for that yet,” I nervously admitted. 

“All right,” Satan declared as we entered the dining car where the three witnesses were sitting. They looked up, eager to hear what he had to say. We had looked through all that we could, and Satan and I had a pretty decent idea of what happened. “I will prove to you that the man you see before you, Mammon,” Satan gestured at his brother, “Is innocent.” 

“Innocent?” The man in the glasses scoffed, “But the woman called out his name right as she died!”

“Yes, but that’s because she actually knew him,” I brought up. 

“What did you say?” The woman’s eyes widened. 

“Just before she died,” Satan jumped in, “Someone she knew appeared before her unexpectedly. It seems that’s why she said his name in those last moments.”

“It’s common sense,” I stressed, “You wouldn’t say the name of the person you did not know, because how would you know their name?”

“If that’s true,” the woman said slowly as she fluffed her short hair, “Then she might not have been trying to name her killer.”

“B-But that man went inside the lounge, and moments later she was killed!” Argued the younger guy. “The timing is a little too perfect to be a coincidence.”

“Indeed, it’s only natural that you would think Mammon is the killer,” Satan nodded.

“Listen to Satan,” Lucifer whispered to me, “He’s loving this.” 

“He can’t help it,” I almost smiled, “It’s a good old murder mystery.” 

“Damnit, here I am accused of murder, and HE’S havin’ a good time,” Mammon crossed his arms with a pouty expression. 

“By the way,” I went back to paying attention to the speaking Satan, “Where at the table was the spirit medium, Grisella? Where was she sitting?”

“Where? Well,” the woman explained, “She was in a chair facing away from the door out into the hall.” 

“So Mammon came through that door, the one she had her back to,” I found myself saying.

“Exactly,” Satan nodded, “And as soon as everyone inside the lounge realized that someone was intruding on them, they all turned to see who it was.” 

“So Grisella was facing Mammon’s direction,” I explained and the older man gasped in surprise. 

“Starting to make sense now, right?” Satan smirked before sharing a secret look with me. 

“Wait a minute, no… I’m TOTALLY lost here!” Mammon exclaimed. 

“Grisella was stabbed in the back, correct?” Lucifer asked Mammon. 

“Yeah… So?” Mammon asked, a few beats behind everyone else. 

“Do you think yourself capable of stabbing someone in the back if they were looking right at you, Mammon?” Lucifer asked with gritted teeth. Mammon had to think for way too long before coming to a conclusion. 

“Um… no?”

“Hmm,” the younger passenger crossed his arms and looked away from us. “You do have a point.” 

“Huh,” Mammon blinked in surprise. “Like, really?”

“In any event,” Satan explained, “We should go ahead and seal off the lounge until we reach the next station. Whoever did this is still hiding somewhere on this train.” I shivered at Satan's words. I knew it was the truth, but it was chilling to think that I was in the same room as a murderer. “Everyone, I’d ask you to remain inside your cabins until further notice,” Satan requested. “Only one version of events is ever true!” 

“Yo, Claudia,” Mammon slipped over to my side. “Did you understand what he was talkin’ about just now…?”

“Yes Mammon,” I patted him on the head, “Oh, at least you are pretty.” I sighed before turning to walk off. “Now come on, let’s head back to our room.” 

Once back in our room, Lucifer flopped down onto our bed with defeat. I instantly knew what was wrong with him and cautiously sat next to him, wanting to comfort him. 

“Hey, what’s with the sad look?” Mammon asked his older brother as he leaned up against the wood panel walling. “You know we’ve proven that I’m innocent now, right? I mean,” Mammon blabbed on, “I know it must’ve been a real shock ‘cause your sweet brother was treated like a criminal and all, but still-”

“It’s about not being able to lift the curse now that Grisella is dead, right?” I softly asked Lucifer. 

“That’s right,” He placed his head in his hands, “So in the end, we came all this way to the human world for nothing, and the speech is tonight…” 

“Hey!” Mammon whined. “Why aren’t you worried about me, huh?! Let’s see some concern, damnit!” 

“Well, this is just wonderful… I don’t believe it, what a miserable state to be stuck in,” A silky femmie voice purred. “I don’t believe this, here I am in the company of three demons, all of whose names I know, and yet… What a truly miserable twist of fate.” 

“Hold on, I know that voice,” Lucifer straightened up.

“Grisella… is that you?” Satan called out.

“Actually,” Lucifer clarified, “Grisella is dead. This would be her spirit.”

_ So ghosts are real? Of course, they are, why wouldn’t they be with all of the other crazy shit that is real _ , I thought as I shook my head. This was crazy.

“Yes, unfortunately, it seems you’re right,” She sighed as the blue curtains in our room closed without warning and a glowing figure appeared in front of us. Before us in the darkness of our room, was the spirit of the witch we had been searching for. She was a woman in her early 50s, or at least looked to be, wearing a patterned long sleeve dress and several bracelets that dangled and clicked against each other on her thin arms. 

“It seems you’re right?” Mammon asked loudly. “Like, you’re a witch! You’re supposed to be able to see the future and know when you’re gonna die. Didn’t ya even bother to check?” 

“Not all witches can see into the future,” Grisella sassily clarified, “But yes, I knew that I would die at some point during my trip on this train. However, I didn’t know how I would die, only that I would. When it’s time to die,” Grisella said in a faraway voice, “It’s time to die. There’s no changing that. There’s no cheating death. I accept my fate. However,” she snorted, “I’d at least like to know why I was killed before I rest.”

“And you’re telling us this because…?” Lucifer asked.

“Because I know why you came here,” she claimed. 

“Okay,” Lucifer stood up, “We’re going to figure out who it was that killed Grisella.” 

“Weren’t we already going to do that, though?” I also stood up. 

“Ugh,” Mammon groaned as he slimmed around, “That sounds like a bunch of work! Why do we gotta do somethin’ like that?!”

“Claudia,” Lucifer pointedly looked down at me, “Explain to this idiot why it is that we have to cooperate with Grisella.” Mammon yelled in protest at Lucifer’s insults. 

“Look Mammon,” I sighed and placed my hands on my hips. “Time is ticking for Lucifer and Satan. We’re going this because we want to lift the curse… but I think we should also do this because it’s the right thing.” 

“Exactly… at least the first part,” Lucifer snapped his fingers. 

“Oh, right. Cause we’re here for the,” Mammon waved his hands around, “You know. Okay, so the killer’s gotta be one of the other three people that were in the room with her during the seance, right? I mean,” he shrugged, “It couldn’t be anyone else.” 

“Exactly,” Grisella narrowed her ghostly eyes. “The first of the three is named Noah, he’s someone I’m well-acquainted with.” 

“Is he the younger one with blonde hair and the… interesting shirt?” I asked. 

“That’s right,” the witch nodded as she started to float around the room aimlessly. “He hoped to become my apprentice, and he was also the person who introduced me to the people requesting today’s seance. As for the other two… I’d never met them before now. Their names are Lucas and Sophia, and they’re siblings. It was they who requested the seance,” she explained, “They were hoping to speak with the spirit of their dead younger sister."

“How sad,” I frowned. 

“So then,” Satan cracked his knuckles together, “I guess we only need to torture each one of them separately until we find our answer.”

“Yes,” Lucifer nodded, eating the plan up, “That shouldn’t take long at all.”

“Okay then!” Mammon grinned. “So, which of those humans should we torture?”

“Woah, WOAH,” I wanted to stop our situation from getting out of hand. “How about we not torture some people? We’re going to do this the more humane way- let’s call it the Claudia Way.” I turned towards the direction where Grisella was floating. “Grisella, I have some questions.” 

“Well now,” She seemed interested in this development. “What do we have here? You’re human, aren’t you? And so young too…” 

“Yes, I am,” I confirmed her observation. “Now, first up,” my expression became more serious, “Do you remember being stabbed?”

“Yes, I should think so!” She chortled. “I remember the pain I felt as the knife entered… it felt like it was thrust up from below. It burned like fire,” she seemed to shiver. “I’ll never, ever forget that feeling. However,” she sighed, “That’s all I remember. I don’t know who did it.”

“That was very helpful, thank you,” I politely nodded at the spirit of Grisella before turning to Mammon. “Mammon, what did you see when you first entered the room?” 

“Uhh,” Mammon scratched his head, “At first I thought it was pitch black in there, but then I looked harder, and I saw that there was actually a candle burrin’ on a table in the middle of the room.”

“What about the people inside of the room?” 

“Well, Grisella was the person closest to the door I came through,” Mammon explained and I started to craft up a mental image of the scene, “That’s why everyone ended up blamin’ me for it. Behind her were the two guys and the girl was sittin’ the farthest away. Oh yeah,” Mammon’s eyes widened as he remembered something. “One of the guys was wearin’ this crazy-lookin’ shirt. It was super flashy and super lame.”

“Wait, that would be Noah, right?” I asked as I looked up at Grisella. 

“Mm, that’s right,” she replied. “He likes to be unique and make a statement."

“Yeah, well,” Mammon shrugged, “He stayed sittin’ there in his chair the whole time. Maybe he was so freaked out about you bein’ stabbed that he couldn’t even manage to stand?” Mammon weakly joked. 

“Well this is easy,” I narrowed my eyes as I looked at my fellow companions. “I know who murdered Grisella.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading another chapter of Miracles! If you enjoyed it, please think about sharing how you feel down in the comments, and maybe, just maybe leave kudos! Happy reading!


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